My Lord
by Shinigami29
Summary: Multichapter. Ino screamed. Loudly. So loud that a moment later people were poking their heads out their windows to see what the commotion was about.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: _I do not, in any way, shape, or form, own Naruto... so please, please PLEASE dun rat me out! I dun wanna get sued!

**Prologue**

Times were rough. It seemed like evey other day warriors were sent to fight some unseen enemy. Farmers were slowly giving away more and more of their crops. Merchants made little to no money as most of the travelers didn't dare come to visit, and all the tradesmen were working directly under the Lord. It was times like these that Ino wished she had come from a rich family.

Her mother had owned a flower shop before she had passed away, but her father had to shut down business just a few years prior so that they could still make enough money; no body wanted to buy flowers in a war zone. And so he used his daughter's talents as a seamstress (her mother had taught her when she was still very young) and his own basic knowledge of leather work, and together the two of them stitched and repaired and made clothes and hats and gloves, and occasionally a pair of boots. Once a month the Lord himself would come and have something tailored, dropping three gold coins in her father's hand as Ino peered at them from the back of the shop.

_Lord Sasuke, _Ino would think to herself dreamily, imagining herself and him in white wedding clothes at an alter... it was a silly dream, but it always seemed plausible whenever he stepped into the treshold of the Yamanaka Shop.

But for now, the young blond was walking down the morning-idle streets, a basket balanced against her hip as she made her way back home; her father had sent her to the Inuzuka's to get meat and hides; the butcher's son hunted animals, bringing them home whole so that him and his father could skin them and sell the hides to anyone who wanted them. It was convenient for Ino and her father, \and the two families regularly did business.

She's choosen two large pelts, the furs dark brown and soft, and a few large slabs of meat. The cost had been a new coat for Kiba, the butcher's son, but she could worry about making it later. Humming to herself, she slowly petted the soft fur and carried on her way...

And that was when a dark figure dropped in front of her.

Ino screamed. Loudly. So loud that a moment later people were poking their heads out their windows to see what the commotion was about. So extremely loud that the person who had so disgracefully fallen face-first in front of her twitched, his head slowly turning to glare up at her.

He was a filthy man, his dirty black hair falling around his shoulders and sticking out awkwardly in front of his eyes; the small parts of his skin that weren't dirty looked to be tanned, and his dull eyes looked so tired; but it was his clothes that repulsed her the most. They were tattered and torn, barely offering any warmth to the man. And his gloves (she didn't know why she noticed his gloves, but she did) were absolutely useless, thin material with the fingers torn out.

"Be quiet," he muttered, sitting up slowly. "You almost woke me up."

"You just fell in the street!" she yelled at him. _Almost woke him up? Who is this idiot?_ "That fall alone should've woken you up!"

"I fell..?" He blinked, looking to his right and up a wall. "Right... I was sitting up there before... oh well."

"Oh well!" Ino huffed, but reminded herself that she had to return home with the meat and the hides, and decided to ignore the strange man. Picking up her skirts she walked around him, and continued on her way.


	2. Meeting the Silver Wolf

**Meeting the Silver Wolf**

She'd cut out the design for Kiba's jacket by nightfall when it happened; her father told her about Lord Sasuke's visit. He bid her sit down quietly in the main room of the shop, and stood in front of her with downcast eyes.

"Our Lord is coming again tomorrow," her father said quietly.

_Yes! _She cheered to herself happily. _I may just get to meet him this time... please father, please introduce me to him! _"Surely this is splendid news, father!"

"He wants two new cloaks," he continued as he started to pace about the room. "A sturdy one for the autumn month to come, and a fur-lined one for the winter months to follow." Ino frowned, thinking about their stocks of material; the one for autumn would be easy. They could remake the cloak the Lord wanted out of one's they already had... but the fur?

"Kiba gave me two pelts," Ino told her father. "Isn't that enough for the cloak?"

"He wants silver fur, from a wolf," her father said drearily. "And not only that, but he wants that cloak for someone _else_, specifically tailored to _their_ measurements... it's hard enough that he only gave us rough estimates, but we don't have anyone to act as a maniquin in such short notice!"

"We'll find a way father, don't worry," she muttered quietly. She saw a letter on the table, and after a moment recognized the fancy signature at the bottom as Lord Sasuke's. Taking the letter into her hands, she scanned the page for any characters she could recognize; bits of phrases and words stuck out at her all other the place, but not in any comprehensible mannor. The only things that made sense were the measurements for the cloaks.

She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair back an inch or so as she stumbled across the room, pulling her own cloak over her shoulders and wrapping the warm cloth about her body. "Where are you going, Ino?"

"I'm going to go talk to Inuzuka Kiba," Ino explained, pulling her boots on over her stocking. "Maybe he'll have something... I don't know, _anything_ to help us. He just went hunting yesterday, and I didn't have time to ask him about anything else he hunted... it looked like he brought back a lot. He could have what we need!"

"It's dangerous at night," her father said solemly, taking a few long strides to cross the short distance to his daughter. "You stay here and I'll-"

"No!" She glared up at her father stubbornly, hands on her hips. "You stay here and start on the other cloak! We have lots of leather that you can work with, and when I get home I'll help you... we only have until tomorrow, remember?"

"Yes, yes, I know..." her father sighed in defeat, but let her go.

* * *

Ino walked out of the Inuzuka's shop with a sigh, a small white pelt in her hands but nothing else. "This'll never do," she muttered to herself as she walked slowly back towards her own home. "How can I ever hope to win over Lord Sasuke if I can't even make this cloak for him..?" _I'll never get to meet him at this rate... he'll get angry and never come to our shop for business again._

Letting her mind continue on it's downward spiral, she became dimly aware of the clouds covering over the moon, blocking off the last of her light. Shivvering, she pulled her cloak tighter around her figure, almost regretting not asking Kiba to walk her home. _Nothing will happen. I've walked this path home a million times... just not at night. _She heard footsteps behind her, and started walking faster. A stone skidded across the ground just to her left, and she almost tripped as she craned to see if anyone was-

She screamed as an arm grabbed around her waist, crashing her violently against someone's chest; the scream was lost in the material covering someone's hand, though she could still feel fingers against her check. _That bum from this morning!_ _He's kidnapping me! He's kidnapping me and he's going to rape me and-_

"Be quite," he whispered in her ear.

Air was like a poison, cutting icily through her nose to stab her lungs as she fought not to breath too hard. Her heart thudded out a rhythm against her ribs, and she wondered feebly if that was the noise he wanted her to stop... and then two men stalked by, one of them tossing a stone in his hands. The men stopped right in front of them, looking too and fro, back and forth, trying to find her. One of the men locked eyes with her; terrified blue against calm black... but after a moment he looked away, swearing at his partner in crime and continuing to walk.

Only when the men's footsteps were completely gone did the bum behind her let her go; it took her a moment, but when she realized she was free she jumped away, only to look back at him to glare. "How dare you!"

"I just saved your life," he said non-chalantly. "You should give me food now; I haven't eaten in almost a day."

"As if I'd help out a bum like you!" she yelled at him again. He shrugged, and settled down, pulling a blanket over his arms and legs. "I'm not done talking to you, you lazy bum!" Reaching out, she yanked away his blanket, holding it up in the air as she was about to start yelling at him again... and then she realized exactly what she was holding.

The entire blanket, more than enough to cover a fully grown man from both sides with an extra foot or so to spare in both width and length, was made completely of silver fur. The leathery underside of the hide had hidden the treasure from Ino's eyes, but now that she saw it she couldn't help but gape. "... where did you get this?"

"My mother made it for me before she left both me and my father," the bum drawled out, sleep lacing all of his words. "Could I have it back now..? It's chilly out."

"... I have a proposition for you," Ino told him; she thought back to when she was against his check. _His lips were just above my ear, right..? Then he should be about the right height... This is perfect!_

"What kind of proposition?" He yawned, but opened his eyes to look up at her.

"I'll give you food, and a warm place to stay for the night," she told him sweetly. "And all you have to do is give me this blanket..."

"No," he reached out, tugging the blanket back towards him and curling into the material.

"_Please!_" Ino fell to her knees, pleading with him. His eyes didn't even flicker, and he continued to ignore her. "I'll... I'll make you food for an entire week!"

"A month," he pushed, still not looking.

"Yes, yes, a month!" she agreed. "So you will?"

He yawned again. "... nah."

_He's impossible!_ She raged to herself, but continued to smile at him sweatly. "Pretty please won't you let me have that blanket? I'll do almost anything for you..."

"You don't even know my name."

"Well then," she sat down cross legged, ignoring the bitter cold around her. "What's your name?"

He groaned, and sat up properly, seemingly admitting defeat and casting her a dark glare. "Call me Shika."

"Shika," she repeated. _I'm getting somewhere... this bum is just trying to milk me for all I'm worth! Well... it may be worth it, but he doesn't know what he's dealing with!_ "Do you want to know why I need that fur, Shika..?"

"You're going to make a cloak for Lord Sasuke out of it," he dead-panned. "Now can I sleep?"

"W-what... how did you know that!" her anger got the best of her, but she took a deep breathe and calmed down. "Yes... yes it's for Lord Sasuke... so can't you see what it's so important?"

"It's important for a Lord, who has a castle with fires and hearths, to have a warm cloak?" Shika mimiced her, and she nodded. "I see... but then isn't it even more important for the bum on the street, with no fires and no hearths, to have a warm blanket?"

"Well..." She hesitated, not knowing how to answer.

"But you really don't care." He rolled his eyes. "You only want a chance to meet him... maybe to marry him one day? Ah... troublesome."

"You're very smart, Shika," Ino continued sweetly, trying not to be unnerved.

"You have no idea," he settled back down to sleep. "Unless you can offer me more, go away."

"I'll make you a better blanket," she promised. "And until it's done you can sleep in my father's workshop, where it's warm... and for a month I'll make you food. Isn't that fair..?"

A few moments past in silence. And then several more. Finally, Shika groaned again, pulling himself to a slow stand and folding the blanket over his arm haphazardly. "I know when to give up, wench. Show me the way."


	3. A Winter's Cloak

**A Winter's Cloak  
**

"Inside, inside!" Ino hustled him, and he groaned. "No complaining!"

"What happened to being all nice and cheerful?" He asked, stepping into the little shop; it was dark inside, but a light was streaming across the floor from another room.

"I saw how dirty you got this pelt!" The blond told him. Loudly.

He sighed. "Just clean it."

Both of them paused, hearing a noise from the other room; Ino thought back to the two men from earlier, and unconsiously found herself creeping closer to the dirty bum that had somehow conned his way into her house... the door at the end of the shop was pushed fully open, and her father stood to greet her. "Ino... isn't it late for guests?"

"He has _silver fur_!" Ino squeeled excitedly, rushing across the room to her father. She held the fur up for him to see, and she saw her father visibly relax. _We can do this... we can get both the cloaks done for Lord Sasuke tomorrow!_

"Where am I sleeping?"

Ino jumped, and both her and her father turned to where the unexpected guest stood, in the middle of the shop with his dirty hands crammed into his torn pockets. She hesitated, and her father gave her a questioning look. In hushed tones she quickly explained to him what had happened back in the dark streets, causing her father to smile warmly at Shika.

"Well, young sir, it seems that I owe you my gratitude for keeping my daughter safe..." he crossed the distance between them quickly, and grabbed Shika's hand from his pocket for a firm shake. "Now, what's your name? I can't simply thank you by 'boy' now, can I."

"Call me Shika," he mumbled; Ino could see the bum's discomfort. It wasn't helped in the least by the way her father squeezed his hand a little too tightly. _He may have saved me, but father still doesn't trust him... and for good reason too! He's just a dirty bum!_

"Shika?" her father seemed surprised, though Ino thought she heard a seething undertone. Maybe she was imagining it? "One of the Lord Sasuke's courtmembers goes by a similar name... can't for the life of me remember what though."

The bum shrugged. "Shika means 'deer', and my family used to be deer herders before the war started. My mother doesn't have too much of an imagination."

"Right..." her father nodded, still smiling; he finally let go of Shika's hand, and the bum impassively stuffed it back into his pocket. "Well, I am Inoishi, and you've already met my daughter, Ino... thank you for the pelt. There's a wash basin in the back, if you feel like cleaning up, and we can give you a new shirt if you'd-"

"That's fine," Shika shrugged, and moved past the taller man and towards where Ino stood. He made to move past her, but paused. "... do you have a hair tie?"

"What?" the blond girl blinked. _Why does he need a hair tie?_

"A hair tie," he sighed impatiently. "Mine broke a couple of days ago."

"R-right..." Ino nodded, and took the only hair tie she owned (the one that was holding up her pony tail) and passed it to the boy; her long hair spilled over her shoulders, and she tried to think about what she would use to hold it out of her face during the night.

"Thanks," he took the hair tie and carried on his way, stopping at the first bed and dropping into it. Not half a moment later, his snores could be heard throughout the shop.

"Strange fellow," her father sighed, shaking his head. Ino just looked at the boy tiredly, before stepping towards her father. "But for now, we have some cloaks to make... I've just undone all the stitching on the leather for the first cloak. Ino, you work on a pattern while I deal with this pelt."

"Of course, father."

* * *

As the sun peeked it's head up into the Yamanaka shop, Ino couldn't help but want to snap at it; she hadn't gotten any sleep during the night, and her fingers were sore from frequently jabbing needles into her tired digits. Her father was finishing the last of the entricate leather work on the first cloak (he was weaving leather straps through the hems to create a braided pattern that would match the clasp) and Ino... Ino was finishing off the last of the stiches of the fur cloak.

It had turned out beautiful. Her father had choosen a dark, heavy material to cover the outside of the cloak, and had even made a matching pouch out of the same material. Ino was in charge of stitching the entire thing together, taking long segments of fur at a time to make sure the pelt and the black material hung together the same way. Rows upon rows of silvery-green stitches stuck out on the dark material where each segment of pelt was sown in, making the cloak have a ribbed appearance.

The cloak had a deep hood, and both Ino and her father agreed that the silver fur couldn't be the only thing there... so taking a brown pelt of similar length, Ino hemmed the very bottom of the cloak and the around the outside of the hood. _That way, the silver fur won't get nearly as dirty so close to the ground, and it looks natural because of the matching hood... it's perfect! Lord Sasuke is going to love it._

The final touch. At the back of the hood, at the base, her father had attached a braided leather thong, and Ino, tying small knots with her delicate thread and then larger knots with the leather itself, attached two eagle feathers her father had found while out visiting another village.

"Perfect!" Ino giggled, holding up the magnificent cloak; surely when everyone in the village saw it, they weould know that her and her father made it, _and they'll come straight to us to make new cloaks for them as well! _She sighed dreamily, imagining all the pretty silk she could make new dresses out of once everyone had boughten new cloaks.

"Are you done, Ino?" her father asked, looking up at her. She nodded excitedly, holding up the cloak for him to see. "Oh... that's beautiful darling. You've outdone yourself." He looked tired, but held up the cloak he had been working on as well. "I've only got a foot or so left on the braiding... I should be done in a quarter of an hour or so."

"Would you like me to make breakfast?" the blond girl asked, folding the cloak delicately as she stood up from her seat; her back cracked in protest, but after a moment it was feeling much better. _I haven't moved in hours... father must be hurting even more than I am!_

"Please," he agreed, turning back to his work. "And put some coffee on, too?"

"Of course!" Placing the cloak on her chair, she almost skipped towards the kitchen, daydreams of wedding flowers dancing in her head.

She'd already started a small fire in the heart and put a pot of water on to boil when someone walked into the kitchen behind her; ignoring it, she opened the pantry and took out a loaf of bread and some cheese. "Are you making me food?"

She jumped, almost dropping the cheese as she turned around. Then she almost screamed, before she remembered who their 'guest' was. "S-Shika..?"

The said bum stood by the almost-boiling pot of water, hands still stuffed into his pockets. She almost didn't recognize him with his hair pulled back into a spiky pony tail... but then she noticed his filthy skin and tattered clothes. _There could be no mistaking him._

He raised a hand to eye level, two fingers cocked above the rest. "Yo."

_He's still here... _she breathed deeply for a moment, before deciding that she wouldn't let the dirty bum spoil her day. Moving to the low table, she put down the bread and the cheese and tried to find a knife.

"Here," he placed a knife in front of her before sitting down on the lone stool. "Clean it before giving it back."

"Of course," his accusing tone grating on her nerves. _Can't he just be grateful? _"How was your sleep?"

"Not enough," he shrugged, a yawn making it's way to his lips. "How are the cloaks?"

Ino smiled, remembering the feel of the fur against her skin. "They're beautiful... I envy whomever the fur cloak is for."

"Then why don't you ask for it?" Shika wondered, his tired eyes watching as she sliced the bread. _Three slices... one for father, one for me, and one for the bum. _

"Because it's for Lord Sasuke," Ino told him. _Idiot_. She started slicing the cheese, and he grabbed the first piece along with some bread and stuffed his face.

"No reason for you to go cold during winter," he gave himself a minute to chew and swallow, before yawning again and standing up. "... I think I'm going to go back to sleep."

"Already?" Shika ignored her, going back to the bed he had slept on during the night. She sighed, but went back to her tasks; the water was boiling, and she had to fix up the coffee how her father liked. _What a hopeless bum._


	4. Sakura

**Sakura  
**

Her father joined her in the kitchen shortly, eyes smiling as he took a piece of bread with cheese to chew on; Ino was almost done making the coffee, and the rich smell was slowly filling the shop. "Lord Sasuke should be here within the hour," her father mentioned absently.

"We should both have a rest before then," Ino told him, pouring his coffee. _If only we had some milk... but we have no place to put it, and it would go sour. _

"We should," he agreed. His breakfast was finished quickly, and he started on his coffee. "Did Lo-, your guest, what was his name again?"

"Shika."

"Right... did Shika eat?"

"Yes," the blond girl sighed, glaring over at the lump of a figure that was residing in her bed. "Then he went right back to sleep, that hopeless-"

"You should show more respect towards a man who got us out of a sticky situation," her father scolded her lightly. "If we hadn't been able to get that fur from him, we never would've gotten that cloak done."

"Yes father, I know," she sighed again, this time in frustration.

The father and daughter duo went about their normal morning routine, both washing up quickly and changing clothes. Both were eagar for even a few minutes rest before the Lord Sasuke came to pick up the cloaks; so it was a surprise to Ino that, when she went to kick Shika out of her bed so that she could sleep, he was gone.

There was knocking on the door of the shop, and Ino was up like a bolt of lightening. She dashed across the room, patting her hair down flat as she did so. Taking a deep breath, she cast open the door to see who was there. And looming above her was the shadow of the Lord Sasuke.

He past her easily, sparing her barely a glance as he looked about the room; his presence choked every molecule in the air, and made Ino's knees shake. And when finally he looked at her, she felt as if she would faint.

"Where is Inoishi?" He asked mutely, his porcelain face smooth against emotions.

"F-father is still sleeping," she tried to catch her wits about her, but her thoughts were swimming in the sounds of wedding bells.

"Hn," Lord Sasuke frowned, looking past her and towards the door. "Sakura, come in here and inspect the cloaks."

"Yes, Lord Sasuke," Ino turned in time to see a slender pinkette with green eyes step into her shop; she'd seen Sakura several times before, mostly when Lord Sasuke needed someone to check over an important item that he needed, but a couple of times in the market place as well. _Psht... she's not so great! She has a forehead the size of a mountain!_

Sakura smiled at her sweetly, and went straight to where both the cloaks were folded on the chair she had spent most of the night sitting on; the pinkette picked up the first cloak (the leather one) and let it unravel itself in front of her eyes.

"Father braided the leather around the hems," Ino spoke up, praising the craft and the craftsmen as her father always did when selling goods. "And also smoothed and stitched all the pieces flawlessly into that pattern; no autumn wind will get past it."

And truly it was flawless; even though the leather cloak was made from three of her father's older cloaks, he patched over any worn parts with decorative stitching and layers, creating a two tone pattern. And similar to the fur cloak he had covered the outside with material, though a lighter brown material opposed to the heavy black of the other.

"It's acceptable," Sakura tsked out, pursing her lips and closely inspecting every stitch; but Ino knew that the girl was impressed with the work.

"I don't care about that one," Lord Sasuke remarked bitterly. "A cloak is a cloak, so long as it is functional. Look at the _other one_."

"Of course, Lord Sasuke," the pinkette almost sang to her lord. Ino had to stop herself from gagging. _Can't he see how **fake** she is..? There's no way he's falling for that!_

Forgetting her thoughts, Ino took a step forwards as Sakura picked up the fur cloak. "I made every stitch in that cloak... my father shaped the pelts and I attached them first together and then to the material... but we added the brown pelts, too, both to make it longer and doubly to make sure that the silver fur wouldn't get dirty..." Ino made to carry on, but Sakura bade her be quiet and took the cloak over to Lord Sasuke.

"I'm not sure _how_ they did it, but it's real wolf's fur..." Sakura said in awe.

"They probably bought it off of a trader," Lord Sasuke rolled his eyes, and Ino couldn't help but do an internal cheer. _Yes! Be annoyed with her! _"Is it the right length? Will the shoulders fit him right?"

"Yes, yes," Sakura shook the cloak out in front of her, holding it an inch or so higher than her own shoulders. "It's plenty long enough, though that boy might _still_ end up growing a bit... and the shoulders feel wide enough. I'm sure he'll love this as a birthday present, Lord Sasuke. Can we go back to the castle now?"

"Of course," he nodded, and Ino couldn't help but notice the relieved look in his eyes; it was as if his porcelain face had relaxed, taking on that many less worries. But after a moment they found new worries, and he looked like his mysterious self again. _Oh Lord Sasuke... you're so perfect! You're friend must mean a lot to you for you to go through all this trouble... _"Pay the girl quick and get out; I'm heading back now. I can't stand these cramped, filthy little shops."

Her life flashed before her eyes, and before she could even shout 'help!', Lord Sasuke had left.

"Here you are," Sakura's voice brought her back to reality, and Ino looked up into the girl's green eyes enviously. _She gets pretty clothes that she doesn't have to make herself, and gets to live in a big castle with Lord Sasuke. Why not me? Why couldn't I live like that? _"Is this enough?"

Ino stared at the girls outreached hand blankly, before snatching the money she held out for her; ten gold coins. It was enough to buy six months worth of meat from the Inuzuka's. "Y-yes."

"Perfect," the girl smiled cheerily, clapping her hands together as if in praise to a goddess before she turned to fold both the cloaks over her arm. "I hope to see you again... what was your name?"

"Ino," she muttered, watching as Sakura left before she could listen to her answer.

Sitting down on the now vacant chair in the middle of her shop, Ino sighed. She longed for the wedding bells to start ringing in her head again, but instead she just waited for her father to wake up so that she could tell him the good news.


	5. Fresh Fruit

**Fresh Fruit**

Shika felt his chin, letting his bare fingertips take long strokes over the formally smooth surface. _Hm... I'm going to need to shave soon... troublesome. For that I need soap. And a razor; left mine kami-knows-where. Water would probably help. _Readjusting the weight on his shoulder, he trucked on.

The people in the crowd melted around him like shadows at midday, and he ignored them. It was as if they were a river, and he was but a pebble meandering it's way peacefully at the bottom... except he was moving against the current. And it was a lot dirtier where he was then it was at the bottom of a river. _Okay, so maybe it's not a river at all. More like a fox running from dogs._

Ducking into an alley way, he was tempted to go where he had spent most of his nights for the past fortnight or so: sleeping on the top of a wall. _But then there was that ugly incident with that screaming girl, and apparently I fell off the wall... which makes sense because I did have a headache... needless, the wall probably isn't the best place to sleep. _Trying not to think about it, he emerged from the other side of the alley and paused.

Stepping out from the Yamanaka shop was Lord Sasuke.

He stayed in the shadows, not feeling comfortable to allow himself to be scrutiniezed by royalty, and instead decided to stare at the sign above the door; you could still see where the word 'Flower' had been painted over. The sign now read 'Yamanaka Tailor Shop'.

_A flower shop, huh? _He allowed himself a smile, his eyes drifting to the sky to watch the lazy clouds drift across his sight. _How peaceful... they probably did very well before the war, what with all the love and prosperity that was going around. People would send flowers on birthdays and weddings, even to the dead! My father always used to get my mother flowers every sunday... I wonder if this is where he got them?_

A flash of pink caught his eye, and he looked back to see a girl walking out of the shop, following the path towards the castle where her Lord Sasuke had walked just before her. She held in her arms the two cloaks that he had seen the shopowners working on so feverishly. _Hm... she must've paid for them... well, now that I'm not interfering with business, I want lunch._

Hands stuffed safely back in his pockets, he darted out into the sunlit street and sulked towards the door to the Yamanaka Shop; it took his long strides merely moments, and soon enough he was back in the shadows and away from the sun.

He noticed her immediately, sitting in the middle of the busy room; her hands were folded neatly in her lap as she stared blankly towards her feet. Shika took a few steps towards her, watching as she didn't notice him.

"It's time for lunch," he broke out rudely. She jumped, only to glare at him.

"Why should I make you a lunch?" She snapped at him, not leaving her chair. _She looks tired._

"Because you promised me meals for a month," Shika reminded her.

"I haven't gone to the market yet," she huffed at him. She brushed her long blond hair back behind her ears before placing her hands delicately on her hips. "So I can't make you food, you lazy bum!"

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes with a sigh, and remembered the weight on his shoulder; swigging the small bag in front of him, he desposited it in her lap before yawning. Then he turned around to meander back out into the sun. _Maybe I'll just find a nice hill outside of the village and sleep for the rest of the day... sleep and watch clouds._

* * *

"Where are you going!" Ino yelled at him, but he ignored her and walked back out of the shop. She glared, but open the bag on her lap curiously... inside it was a rather large selection of the freshest fruits she had ever laid her eyes on. _He bought these... for me?_ She felt a small blush on her cheeks, but shook the thoughts out of her head. _No Ino, you're just a little depressed because of Lord Sasuke... that bum just wants me to make these into lunch for him! _"... but where did he get them from?"

"Ino darling," she heard her father's voice behind her, and turned to look at him. He still looked tired, leaning on the back door of the shop, but he was smiling. "Has the Lord Sasuke arrived yet..?"

"Almost ten minutes ago now," Ino muttered; her father looked worried, but she stood up to calm him. "He already paid for the cloaks and everything father! I didn't want to wake you since you were so tired..."

"Alright..." he still looked worried, but crossed the treshold to meet her. "Lets have it... how much did we earn?"

She held up the gold pieces, grinning madly. "Ten gold pieces, father!"

"Only ten?" he frowned, and sighed. "That'll do, I supposed... I was hoping for 15."

"Wasn't ten fair payment?" Ino asked, now frowning as well. _Did I do something wrong..?_

"Ten is fair, yes," her father agreed. "But with the work we put in, what all that we did... I was hoping for 15. Not a lot of people can do such fine work over night. But it's alright, Ino darling... it's not your fault."

_No, don't say that! _She turned away from her father with a sigh. _That means it was all my fault! _"I'm going to go for a walk, father... is that alright?"

"Of course dear," her father smiled at her, pocketing the coins. Ino hung Shika's bag from the back of her chair as she stood up, and slowly made her way out the door that the Lord Sasuke had, minutes earlier, also left out of... and the one that Shika had left, as well.


	6. The Art of Cloud Watching

**The Art of Cloud Watching**

Ino walked slowly out of the village; she rarely left the safety of the village walls, but there were times when she felt suffocated by her surroundings. Times that she just needed to get away for awhile. _If I just keep walking, will I get to the next town before dark? _She sighed dreamily, absently entering the hills as she thought about all the far away places that could exist. _Maybe I'm some long-lost princess of a hidden village in the woods. And when I get there they'll put me in a tower and lavish me everyday with food and gifts, and I'd marry a Prince. And I'd never have to work again._

Thoughts leading her feet astray, it was no wonder that she tripped.

"Ah!" She squealed in surprise, flaying her arms in front of her to cushion her fall; she landed with an 'omff!', her hair inconveniently shrouding her eyes. She groaned, bracing her weight on her arms as she tried to push herself up...

"Don't!" A familiar voice shouted; arms wrapped around her shoulders, crushing her into someone's stomach.

_What! _She felt her face flushing red, her check pressed right against what she could only assume to be very toned muscles. _I... I've never been this close to a boy before!_ And a boy it deffinately was; her hands were awkwardly pinned to his chest, and Ino could tell that no breasts, no matter how tiny, were there. The deep voice definitely helped her decision.

A few shaky, deep breathes later, she realized she must've winded him. _Putting my weight on him would've nearly killed him!_ She thought dramatically. "I'm sorry."

"S'not your fault," the voice muttered, breathing back to normal; his arms loosened from around her shoulders, and he allowed her to push her weight on his chest to sit up.

Ino almost blushed again as she sat up to straddle the boy's waist... but as soon as she pushed her hair out of her eyes, she glared. "You!"

"Me," the forever-tired Shika met her glare with a calm stare of his own, and lifted his arms to pillow behind his head. "This is the third time you've interrupted one of my naps."

"What are you even doing here!" She pointed at him tauntingly, her finger barely an inch from his nose.

"I just told you," he rolled his eyes again. "Sleeping. What are you doing here?"

"What do you care?" She huffed at him, crossing her arms over chest.

The lazy bum below her raised an eyebrow delicately, and did something completely unexpected... moving his arms back to his sides, he yawned, and then in one quick movement was sitting up. The blond girl jumped, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, but couldn't move for the hand he anchored on her knee. He leaned forwards as she leaned back, and her blush returned as she felt his lips moving against her ear...

"... I care because if you're here, you're not making me lunch."

She almost screamed, pushing him away from her violently; he laughed as his back hit the ground, and closed his eyes as she practically flew out of his lap. Settling down beside him, she glared at the grass in silence.

He was still chuckling when she finally dared to glance up. "You jerk." He could only shrug, traces of laughter still seen on his lips as he finally quieted down.

She could feel her anger boiling over, but before she could open her mouth to scream at him his hand was on her knee again. "Lie down and be quiet."

"W-what?" Her blush came back full force. _He's trying to take advantage of me!_

"Lie down," he sighed, but didn't bother looking at her. "And be quiet. Watch the clouds with me and calm down."

"... oh." She didn't lie down right away, instead choosing to watch him; if she looked carefully, she could see that his eyes weren't actually closed, just half-lidded as he looked up at the sky through his lashes. Her vision started slipping down, and she realized just how little his tattered clothes really hid...

Blush back on her cheeks, she laid down beside him.

"What are we looking at?" She asked, not seeing anything exciting in the sky.

"The clouds."

She frowned, and watch the clouds for a few moments. _They're white... and they're fluffy... ooo, and that one looks like a kitty! _It didn't take her long to get bored. "Why are we looking at the clouds..?"

"Because it's relaxing."

"It's not that relaxing," she countered. "Curling into bed after spending the entire day walking; that's relaxing. Listening to the rain in front of a warm fire, that's relaxing... this is just **boring**."

He sighed, "it's relaxing to me."

"Is this what you do all day?" She continued. "Just sit around watching the clouds and sleeping... you don't even beg for money?"

"Why beg for money in a village where no one has any?" he shot back vindictively.

"We only don't have money because we're helping the Lord Sasuke with his victory," she snorted back a laugh. _The idiot... even a child knows that!_

He sat up slowly, his shadow seeming to hunch with him as he shot her a lingering glare. "His victory over what?"

"Over the people he's fighting of course!" She scoffed at him. "How much of an idiot are you?"

"Apparently a huge one, if I could've travelled to almost every single village in your precious Lord Sasuke's lands, and find this one to be the only one stricken with war poverty!" He yelled at her. "I must really be idiotic if every other country I've ever been to seems to only want peace with this country because of it's power and _stability_, and are too busy with their own little wars to bother with us!"

Ino shivered, and Shika stood up; he towered over her in a dark way, looking down his nose at her. She felt inferior to the lazy bum, and it made her want to cry... but after a moment he sighed, and held out his hand for her to take.

"Come on... you still need to make me lunch."

* * *

They had been silent the entire walk back home, and were still silent when Ino pushed open the front door of the shop and stepped in; Shika stepped in behind her, his hands stuffed deeply into his pockets.

At the sound of their entrance, her father poked his head in from the back. "Ah, your both back! Ino, Kiba came by; he says that he'd like that coat by the end of the week because he's going to leave to go hunting again soon."

"I almost forgot about that!" _How silly of me_ she giggled to herself, seemingly forgetting the dark mood of earlier. Her father smiled and went back to whatever he had been doing. She glanced at Shika, who had his eyebrow raised at her again. "What?"

"Kiba?" He asked. "As in the butcher's son?"

"Oh, so you do know other people?" she teased him lightly, and went to find herself a chair in the corner of the shop; it's where she had left Kiba's fur jacket the day before, and she sat down to get started on it again; the least she could do was get some of the stitching done. _Definitely not doing it all in one night... _

"We've met on occasion," he found his own chair and dragged it close to hers; she thought it was sweet up until he propped his feet up on a table and leaned back as if to nap.

"Feet down!" she barked at him, but he ignored her. She let her anger sizzle inside of her, but calmed down as she found where she had left off the night before. "... did you mean what you said earlier...?"

"Hm?"

She frowned at the seams of the new coat. "About the other villages in Lord Sasuke's lands..." she had two choices; find a thicker thread than the one she had on her, or go over each stitch three times. Shika looked like he had no intention of moving, so she settled herself with going over each stitch three times. "About us being the only one stricken with poverty..."

"Do you believe every lazy bastard that says crap on the street?" He told her plainly.

She cheered up slightly, kicking her feet under her chair as she neatly made the row of stitches that connected the back of the jacket with the front. _I'm learning about the mysteries that are Shika... well, not really. He's still just a bum that happened to get me out of a sticky situation. But if I have to deal with him for a month I might as well be able to tolerate him._

Suddenly, she remembered. "How did you get that fruit?"

"People gave it to me," he yawned.

"The afternoon just started, you're not allowed to be tired!" She told him with a glare. "And people don't just _give_ away fruit... and I saw a _pineapple _in that bag! People especially don't just give away **_pineapples_**!"

"They said it reminded them of my pony-tail," he shrugged. "I laughed. They gave me fruit. Is that so hard to believe..?"

She scrutinized him carefully, the turned back to her stitching with a huff. "Don't you dare tell my father that you stole those..." Shika just laughed.


	7. Chicken and Rice

**Chicken and Rice**

It took Ino five days to decide that she absolutely, one hundred precent, completely and utterly hated Shika's gloves. The worn material provided no warmth to his hands, and as such the few times that his fingers touched her (either as a taunt or otherwise) they were colder than ice. And so she decided, she was going to make the bum a new pair.

_I've just finished Kiba's jacket,_ she hummed to herself, folding said jacket neatly and collecting the money her father had left for her on the table; she was to get another week's worth of meat, and some material that some merchants supposidly had at the market place. _And gloves are easy to make... I'll just get home quickly and start, and have them done tonight; they don't have to be perfect or anything. Just warm._

Just as she was stepping towards the door, Shika stepped in; he never stayed the night, though her father had offered to let him sleep on the floor in front of the fire. They had blankets they could spare for the lazy bum, but he always shrugged, yawned, and left with the dying sun. "Where's breakfast?"

"Father has some of those apples of your's still," Ino told him, slipping her feet into a pair of sandles and moving to walk past him; Shika stepped in front of her, blocking her way. She could only sigh, _he's such a brat!_ "If you want to wait for _me_ to make you breakfast, then you might as well come with me. Father sent me to get some more meat and some material from the market place."

The bum thought about it for a minute, then shrugged and let her pass. "I'll catch up with you after I'm finish eating." Rolling her eyes, Ino walked out into the street and towards the Inuzuka's shop.

The sun was blinding that day, but the blond girl could see dark clouds in the distance. "There's going to be a storm tonight," she muttered to herself, but carried on walking; she'd barely made it 20 yards when she heard her name being called ahead of her.

"Ino!" It was a laughing voice what she immediately recognized as Kiba, and smiled as he stopped in front of her; he paused for a moment to gasp for breathe, and his dog, Akamaru, caught up beside him.

"Akamaru," Ino giggled, ignoring Kiba and kneeing down to stratch the dog behind his ears. "You've grown so big! What's Kiba feeding you?"

"Steaks," Kiba said proudly, still laughing; then his tone got more serious. "Did you finish that jacket? 'Cause I'm leaving in a few hours and I'm going to go up into the mountains and it's _really _cold up there this time of year..."

"Yes, I've finished your jacket," she sighed, standing up and holding the jacket out for him to see. "I even did all the stitching in blue, to match those silly tattoos of yours!"

"They're not silly," he insisted, frowning as he traced one of the triangles on his cheeks; he'd come back with them a year ago, and his father wouldn't let him back in the house for a week.

"They are so silly," she rolled her eyes again, pushing the jacket into his arms. "Go on, try it on!"

He grinned toothily, and pulled the fur jacket on over the short sleaved shirt that he was wearing; the jacket really did suit him, the dark brown fur almost blending into his hair when he pulled the hood up to cover his ears, and the pale material she used to cover the leather hide of the pelt a nice contrast to the normally dark clothes that he wore. "Did it have to be white?"

"It's not white," she poked fun at him. "It's light gray... what sort of meat does your father have?"

"None," Kiba huffed. "Part of the reason I'm leaving _now _instead of in two days."

"None?" Ino repeated. _Father will be so upset! ... not to mention Shika is going to complain enough to give me a headache. _"But there was so much when I was there last!"

"There's going to be a party up at the castle in a week or so," Kiba explained. "One of the counsillor's birthdays... though I don't know why they're throwing it. I haven't seen him in nearly a month and when he leaves he's usually gone for a good three or four to check on the other towns."

"... you've met the counsillors?" Ino couldn't help but be awed.

Kiba shrugged, his grin plastered on his face again. "What can I say..? When I started taking meat up to the kitchens, the chef introduced me to him! Only the one counsillor, though once in awhile the other ones come down to grab something... there's this _really_ cute one with-"

"I don't need to know about your silly crushes," Ino punched him lightly, but Kiba kept on grinning. "What's his name?"

He shrugged again. "He never told me; I just know that he's one of the counsillors, and that he's been gone for awhile, and that it's his birthday next week... just before yours, actuallly." Ino hadn't been thinking about it, what with all that had been happening... "You're turning 18, right?"

"Yes," Ino nodded; the turn of summer into autumn always meant her birthday. _And today is most likely one of the last days of summer... with tonights storm, the weather is just going to get colder and colder, until eventually winter sets in. _"Me and father have been busy; a few people came by asking for cloaks and jackets, and father has been working on them nearly non-stop during the day... but it'll be another little while before they're ready for me to add any stitching or embroidery-"

"So basically you forgot?" It was Kiba's turn to roll his eyes, and Ino blushed slightly and glared at him. _So... maybe I had forgotten about my own birthday... I would've remembered soon! It just isn't autumn yet, and I don't think about my birthday until autumn..._ Kiba dug into his pocket, and pulled out a little parcel that he handed to her. "It's not much; I traded for it in the next town over for a fox pelt... but I thought you'd like it better than the gift I gave you last year."

Bitterly thinking about the bucket full of toads that Kiba had, for _some reason_, thought that she would _love, _she cautiously took the parcel and opened it... only to give Kiba a quick hug. "Oh, it's so pretty!" It was a hairclip with little pearls embedded into the wood, and engravings carving out the lines of waves.

"Yeah, yeah," Kiba awkwardly hugged her back. "So, I probably won't see you for your birthday... You'll be busy and I have to take all of my hunt up to the castle and then leave again right away to hunt for my family... so, I hope you have a good one."

"Thank you _so _much, Kiba," Ino smiled, pulling away. Kiba grinned back, and with a wave both him and Akamaru went on their way towareds the village gates.

Ino hummed, wrapping her hair on the back of her head so that she could pin it up with the new hair clip. _So, no meat for the next week or so... which means that I'll have to buy bread and cheese and fruit to make up for it. So straight to the market place it is!_But before she started off again, she noticed an increasingly familiar shadow out of the corner of her eye; turning, she came face-to-face with Shika.

"That was touching," he said mutely, eyebrow arched high on his forehead.

"He was being a good friend," she rolled her eyes again, before turning to head towards the market place. "Are you going to try to steal things again?"

"I'll go my way, you'll go yours, and we'll see who gets more stuff at the end," he offered with a shrug.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you that stealing is wrong?"

"I already told you, my mother left me and my father."

Ino rolled her eyes again, and they carried on in a companionable silence.

* * *

It hadn't taken them long to get back home; Ino had some beautiful silk, as well as some much warmer cotton and wool materials for her father, and more bread and cheese to last them for the rest of the week; it wasn't quite cold enough for milk, and they didn't have a cellar to put it in.

Shika had not only acquired a new bag to put everything into, but a small bag of rice, several jars of spices, two chickens and an armload of oranges. On top of that, he was demanding stir fry. "I'm not cooking for the requests of a thief!"

"You get some of the food, too," he pointed out, eating the orange without bothering peeling it. The juices dribbled down his stubble-filled chin, and Ino rolled her eyes at him for the umpteenth time that day.

"What do you think my father is going to say?" She asked him, glaring at his non-chalant behaviour.

"Thank you?" Shika offered, stepping into the shop and not bothering to take his shoes off as he walked straight into the back.

"Wait up you lazy bastard!" Ino screamed at him, toeing off her sandles and darting after him; she poked her head in the back in time to see Shika putting everything down in their proper places, but missing whatever Shika had said to her father.

"Look at all the food he got for us, darling," her father said with a smile. "Isn't he kind..? We should make a stirfry, to celebrate." Ino sighed, but resigned herself to her fate and promised herself to get started on those gloves after lunch.


	8. Opal Tears

_Fixed a few horrendous typos in the last chapter caused from sleep depravation; the first sentance is readable now. Don't bother looking back, the changes aren't that noticeable._

**Opal Tears**

Darkness had settled hours beforehand when Ino had _finally_ finished the stitching on the gloves; the stirfry lunch had taken a good hour out of her day (and she'd realized just how much of a pain it was to clean burnt rice out of a pot), but thankfully they had just eaten leftovers reheated over the fire for dinner. Her father had managed to convince Shika to stay the night with promises of wine and a cooked breakfast in the morning - Ino wasn't looking forwards to waking up - and reluctantly the bum had followed her father to the fire to share stories and sip shallowly at their glasses.

But that was awhile ago, and now her father was asleep and Shika was just a lumpy blanket by the glowing embers.

Stretching her arms above her head and feeling her back _crick!_ into place, Ino relaxed enough to pair the gloves together in her lap; she'd managed to scavange the last bits of the silver fur that Shika had given her, and put them together to make the gloves. She'd covered the hide in a tough, dark brown material, thick enough to keep the rain at bay, and couldn't help but run her fingers through the soft fur on the inside... _I'm so glad we had more left... hopefully this'll make Shika happy._

Yawning, she stood up to manouver her way through the darkness, content to just leave the gloves by his head and be done with it. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her working on them, _He's probably already figured it out. _But while walking towards where Shika was quietly sleeping, her skirt snagged on a loose nail (maybe from the table?) and she heard the material rip. Sighing, she carried on to the hearth and sat down heavily, placing the gloves by Shika and inspecting the tear.

It was a good six or seven inchs long, the kind of tear that if you didn't fix it right away it would just tear more and more until the garment was completely useless; it wouldn't take her that long to fix, so she pulled her sewing needle back out and hunched herself over her knees to awkwardly sew the hems back together.

Settling herself into the mindless task, her mind couldn't help but wander... _this was mother's old dress... father and I altered it to fit me three times now, because of how I've been growing... _crystal tears gathered on her lashes at thoughts of her mother. _And here I go, off and ripping it... I think I've ripped all of mother's old dresses at one point or another. And father always just smiles and says "it's okay, it's old anyways... soon enough we'll get enough money and I'll make you a new dress, just for you", but he never does. _She couldn't help but remember the pretty dress that Sakura had been wearing when she was in the shop, and thought about how the girl never had to worry about a tear in her dress; she would just get someone else to repair it, or better yet, get a new one.

Before she realized it, Ino was crying. The silent tears caused her fingers to slip, and she pricked her finger; lifting the digit to her lips for a moment, she quickly tied a knot in the thread and broke the needle away from her skirts - she could finish in the morning. But try as she might, she couldn't summon the strength to lift herself up from the ground.

_If only I had been born into a rich family, _she thought bitterly, tears still streaking down her cheeks. _Then I wouldn't have to worry about these stupid things... I wouldn't have to sew all day and all night, and cook for lazy bums. I could get out of bed whenever I wanted and just arrange flowers all day, like me and mother used to do... but no, instead I'm stuck here as the useless daughter of a tailor._

Her silent tears soon turned into muffled sobs, and lossing control of herself she hugged her knees to her chest and cried into her torn skirts. _My life isn't even that **bad**... but mother is gone, and father is never truly happy, and the people in the village only know me for my sewing... my life isn't bad, but it's not really a life, either..._

She heard someone shift, and felt familiar cold fingertips brush over her arms. They moved over the material covering her shoulders, one hand falling to rest against the back of her neck and the other settled between her shoulder blades; and then with one smooth tug, she was pulled forwards into Shika's lap.

"You're too loud," he complained lightly, a yawn on his lips even as he stroked small circles into her back; her tears calmed down to sniffles, and Ino squirmed in his arms... he only held on tighter, until finally she relaxed and let him pull her closer, so that her head rested on his shoulder. "What are you crying for?"

"Nothing," she told him quietly.

He sighed, and she felt a groan in his chest. "Troublesome... I know your lying. No one cries for nothing."

"Lots of people cry for nothing," she argued, feeling someone comforted by the bickering. "Pregnate women cry over nothing."

"Pregnate women cry because they're pregnate," he shot back. Then he paused, as if in thought, before adding, "it's not Kiba's, is it?"

"What?" She tried to push away from him, her face flushed in anger. "I'm not pregnate you brute!" He huffed, but didn't respond. They both stayed quiet for a long while, Shika just rubbing her back as her tears stopped, and Ino listening to his heartbeat. "... I just started thinking..."

"About what?" He prodded.

_Hmphf. Show some tact. _"About my mother and all these old dresses I have." He nodded, so she continued. "I just... I never get anything new. And that girl from the castle, Sakura... well, she has everything I've ever wanted. Pretty dresses, never having to worry about doing work, a chance with Lord Sasuke-" Shika snorted, and she glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"You're jealous of a pink-haired counsillor, who happens to live in the castle with your _dearest_ Sasuke?" he mocked her, finally letting her pull away. "Why don't you just settle down here, have a life with your own class of people? I'm sure your father would be _thrilled_ if you just went and married Ki-"

"Stop it with Kiba!" She yelled back at him. "He's a friend of mine, regardless of class or anything else; if I didn't know better I'd think that _you_ were the jealous one!" They were both silent for a long time, eyes locked and faces set.

He stared at her cooly, before gently pushing her off of his lap. Then he stood up, stuffing his hands into his pockets and slowly marching out to the door, opening it quietly and shutting it again behind him. He left Ino sitting here, pulling her knees to her chest as she let the tears stream back down her cheeks.

* * *

Morning came too quickly, and the sun blinded Ino as she tried to turn away from the window... and all too soon she realized she wasn't lying on her comfortable bed, and instead had ended up camped out in front of the dead fire the entire night. Sitting up slowly as her back protested the movements, she groaned.

"Morning sleepy-head," her father said from the other room, walking in and passing her two of the oranges that Shika had gotten the day before. He said nothing about Shika's disappearance. _He must've woken up when we started yelling. _"I need to run some errands today, get some supplies and trade and what not... two of the jackets are ready for you to sew them up, whenever you feel like it; take your time, we have two weeks."

"Of course father," Ino muttered, peeling the orange slowly. Her father just hummed to himself gayly and left without saying much else; the door didn't shut behind him, but she paid it no mind.

She challenged herself to peel the entire orange without breaking the husk, and slowly, millimetre my millimetre, the orange became unwrapped. Smiling at her success, she closed her eyes to make a wish, just like her mother always used to tell her to do when she was a child... but as soon as she closed them, the now-peelled orange was stolen from her hands.

"Hey!" she opened her eyes to glare, only to lock gazes with Shika for the second time in many hours; she wanted to look away, but deffiantly kept on staring. "You came back... did you get hungry?"

"Hm," he shrugged as he sat down, taking a bite of her orange; he broke eye contact with her, choosing to lean back on his hand and act lazy, as always.

"I didn't hear you come in," she continued, starting to peel the other orange. He only shrugged again, and she accidentally broke the husk in two. _No wish for me. _They both stayed silent for awhile as they finished their oranges, the sun still hanging low enough in the sky to drench both of their skins... but the open door brought the chilly breeze of autumn.

Just when Ino was ready to get up and wash, he interrupted her by placing his hand on her knee. "It's your birthday next week?" He asked, but it was more of a statement really; she just nodded, and he nodded back, pulling a small box out of his pocket with his other hand to hand to her.

"What is it?" she asked, taking the box and trying to open it; Shika stopped her, closing his hands overtop of hers.

"It was my mothers," he said sternly, but his voice soon returned to it's regular monotone. "So you have to promise to take care of it... and you can't open it until your birthday."

"Then why did you give it to me now?" she asked irritably. He shrugged, non-challantly leaning back onto his hand and breaking contact from her. Then like a puzzle piece it clicked into place. "... you're leaving, aren't you?" He didn't respond. "Is this because of what I said last night..?" Still no response. "I was just being emotional... what do you always call me? A troublesome girl?"

Quicker than a shadow she found that he was above her; he's simply tilted forwards onto his knees, his body's momentum carrying him to where he caught himself, arms on either side of her hips.

She breathed deeply, and noticed that for once there wasn't a cake of dirt covering his skin; she remembered about how it had rained last night, and how he had left. _The rain must've washed all the dirt away... _It left him with a crispe, clean scent, just like the smell of autumn leaves... unconsiously she found herself leaning towards him.

"Maybe it doesn't have to do with you?" he told her, a minor scolding note in his voice; she pouted, and he leaned forwards to mutter in her ear. "Though... I will admit that you irked me with what you said..."

_About him being jealous..? As if... maybe... he likes me? _She felt him press a soft kiss to the skin just under her ear, and felt her blush creeping back on to her face; bolder, he pressed another kissed to farther down, close to where her neck dipped into her collar bone, and she felt his tongue dart out to taste her flesh...

But before she could feel another kiss, her still open door was loudly slammed against the adjacent wall, and hurried feet ran into her shop; both Ino and Shika jumped, and the blond turned quickly to see who had interrupted them.

"Its ruined!" It was the pinkette who had been with Lord Sasuke; as to what had been ruined... she was holding up a beautiful green dress, and looking menacingly at a slash right across the dress' front. "The party is in less than a week now, and I can't go when my best dress is looking like this! And my maid is sick and can't do anything about it, so you have to-" Finally, the pink-haired girl looked up, and though her eyes rested on Ino for a moment, the blond girl quickly realized that Sakura's attention had been completely captured by Shika, who was still sitting half-overtop of her. "... Shikamaru?"


	9. We're Completely Different

**We're Completely Different**

It was as if the room was veiled in time. None of them moved, just stared at one another; Ino humoured herself over the idea that maybe she could hear their heartbeats... but the notion was ruined when finally, the curtain lifted.

"_Shikamaru!_" Sakura repeated herself, much louder this time; her green dress was cast aside, laying forgotten on the floor. "How dare you! How _dare _you! We've been searching the country for you!" Ino saw the bum shrug from the corner of her eye, and frowned. _What's going on?_ "Go on, say something at least!"

He was quite for a moment, before raising his hand, two fingers cocked above the others just at eye level, and said in his monotoneous voice, "yo".

Sakura, needless to say, wasn't pleased. "The first time I've seen you in a month, and all you can say is 'yo'? Smarten up Shikamaru, or Kami help me I'll break every bone in your body!" Shika shifted his weight back into his own space, and Ino moved so that she could see both of them. "What have you been doing, anyways? Spending the week trying to get up some commoner's skirt? Your _better_ than that, Shikamaru!"

Ino cringed slightly, pulling her knees to her chest. _What does she mean..? _She saw Shika's dark glare gloss over his expressionless face, and turned his attention to him.

It occured to her that he was irritaed; it was something in the way his eyebrows were drawn closer together, and the way his lips tightened in a frown. "Sakura," his voice drippled like honey in her ears, and glancing back at Sakura, Ino could see the pinkette calm down and listen carefully to every one of his words. "What I do in my spare time - or _who_, for that matter - is my own business."

Ino felt the tell-tale anger that came with half of the words that Shika spoke, and gave him her full attention once again. "You bastard! You can't speak to me that way!"

"Be quite," Sakura huffed at her. "You're speaking to Lord Shikamaru, one of Lord Sasuke's three counsillors... _you_ can't speak to _him _that way!"

"Ladies," Shika sighed, pulling himself to his full height; Ino felt small and insignificant in his shadow, and hugged her knees tighter to her chest. _He's a Lord..? But I thought there was only Lord Sasuke in this village?_ "Both of you calm down... what is the trouble, Sakura?"

"The trouble is, Sasuke's been looking for you for over a month!" the pinkette snapped at him, hands on hips and a glare in her eyes. "Where have you been, Shikamaru?" _And why does she keep calling him Shikamaru..? He said his name was just Shika._

"I've been sleeping," he answered. "And I don't care if Sasuke's been looking for me for a year; I told him, I'm not helping him fuel his little war."

"But you're the best stratigest in the country!"

"I could be the best stratigest in the world and I wouldn't help him!" He yelled back at her; his words brought the hallow sound of silence, and both of the girls just stared at him. He huffed, folding his arms over his chest as he closed his eyes. "I'm leaving, anyways. Neji is good enough at playing war without my help, Sasuke can just listen to him."

"You can't leave before your own birthday party," Sakura said feebly; Ino didn't understand why she was trying. _He's made up his mind... why not just let him leave? _

"Material things aren't going to make me want to stay." He was moving, one foot in front of the other, his shadow moving past Ino so that once again she was drenched in the morning sun. Sakura grabbed his shoulder when he past her, and he paused for a moment to look down his nose at her. "People, _Lady Sakura_, aren't going to make me want to stay either."

And then, like a candle's flame in the wind, he was gone.

Sakura stood there, and Ino shyly looked at her, trying to remember her composure. _I'm just the commoner... she's a Lady. She's royalty. _Suddenly, the pinkette looked up at her, a smile on her face as bright as the sun itself. "What's your name?"

"Me?" Ino blinked. _Why does she want to know my name?_ "My name is Ino, Milady..."

"Please, just call me Sakura," the pinkette giggled pleasantly, a stark contrast from her yelling just minutes prior. "Would you do me a favour, Ino?"

"O-of course, Sakura," Ino nodded, not moving from her place on the floor. "Did you want me to fix your dress for you? It'll only take me-"

"Yes, yes, the dress," Sakura waved her hand in dismissal. "You can fix the dress for me, too... but I have something more _important_ to ask of you."

She tried to remember what her father told her of royalty. _Just to accomadate them as best as you can._ "Anything in my power, Sakura."

"Lovely..." Sakura beamed. "Well, get up! We must get going."

Ino stood, brushing out her skirts and looking at the pinkette strangely. "Where are we going, Lady?"

"Just Sakura," she corrected; Sakura picked up her green dress from the floor, and beckoned Ino to come forwards. Slowly, the blond girl did as asked. "We're going to the castle... there you can fix my dress, and we can get you ready for the party."

"The party?" Ino asked stupidly, blinking. _... Why would they want me to come to the party? _"You mean the birthday party that you said was for Shika..?"

"Yes, Shikamaru's birthday party," Sakura nodded, herding the blond girl out of the door.

"Why?" Ino paused, her curiosity getting the better of her, dispite everything her father had ever told her.

"What do you mean, why?" Sakura frowned; Ino turned to look at her sternly. "I'm saying you are to go... isn't that enough of a reason for you?"

"I am my own person," Ino huffed. "We may be of different classes, but I can still think for myself... why must I go?"

Sakura frowned, but ended up smiling after a few moments; this smile seemed genuine compared to the other ones, and put Ino more at ease. "You heard Shikamaru, didn't you..? People weren't going to bring him back... as in, the people who pushed him away definitely aren't going to be the people who convinced him to come back... you, on the other hand, didn't push him away."

Ino stood stalk still, her breathing shallow. _She wants to use me? _"... I'm to convince Shika - I mean, Shikamaru, to come back to the castle?"

"Correct," Sakura nodded, and continued to herd her towards the castle. "Relax... you get to live like a princess for awhile; it's every girls dream! And I think I may have the perfect dress for you!"


	10. Initiating the Plan

**Initiating the Plan**

She woke up dreamily, her body sheened with sweat and her eyelids heavy. Yawning she turned onto her stomach to hug her pillow, feeling the morning sun slip through her curtains and flutter across her back. After a moment she rose, pushing all her weight onto her forearms and letting her hair fall into her face; sitting up properly, she looked across the room to see herself in a mirror, brushing raven-locks idly from her pearl eyes.

Hinata rose out of her bed, goose-pimples covering her exposed skin as she moved towards her closet; she was required to sleep with nothing hiding her from the eyes of the gods, which had always embarrassed her as a child, but now caused nothing more than a shiver and maybe a blush as she tried to think of the good she did each day... for she was the High Priestess, hand choosen by the gods themselves to act as a medium.

"Kami-sama," her voice lilted where it used to stutter, and she picked out a light blue dress to wear underneath her translucent robes. "I didn't dream last night... do you want me to look for a dream this morning?" The silken material passed over her naked flesh easily, urging more goose-pimples to break out.

With her morning prayer she pulled on her robes, and slowly felt a warmth fill her body. It started deep in her belly, and like a flame licked at every bone and muscle in her agile body, until a heat almost radiated from her fingers and toes. And then, with a pleasant sigh, she walked towards the one window in her bedroom, and looked out over the village...

Her room was high in a tower, and the market place was always in her view; some of the houses and shops on the outskirts of the village she couldn't see with mortal eyes, but she was always aware of them... and off in the great distance, beyond the hills and small mountains that littered the ground around the village, was a vast lake, more like a small land-locked sea. And dotting the far side of the lake was a beautiful forest, where mythical creatures and beautiful animals lived.

There was a knock on her door, and absently she summoned the person in; she didn't turn as the door opened.

"Ohayoo, Shino-kun," she said pleasantly.

"Good morning, Hinata-sama," came the usually-quite boy's reply. She felt his very presence as he walked up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder as he looked out her window.

"Can you see the forest, Shino?" Hinata asked. "It's beautiful today... the leaves glisten with dew, and the foxes play with no fear of predators."

"The forest is too far for me to see, Hinata," he muttered; she turned to look at him, his dark eyes hidden behind the shadow of a hood.

She reached up without thought, pushing the hood from his face and smiled at him. "No hiding in front of me, Shino; I can see everything."

"Yes, I know," he nodded, the smallest of smiles gracing his lips; Hinata didn't know if it was only her gifts that shows her, or if he was really smiling for her.

Sighing, she looked back out the window, her pearled eyes looking over the market place. _There seems to be some sort of commotion today... _She saw the distinct flash of pink in her mind's eye, and smiled. "Sakura... Lady Sakura is going to start something very important today." She looked up at Shino, her smile a delicate blossom in spring. "Shino, could you take me to the kitchens for breakfast today? Morning gossip doesn't suit todays mood."

"Of course, Hinata," he gave her the slightest of bows, pulling his hood back up over his face and waiting for her to walk ahead of him; she refused to take one step until she felt his warm hand on his back, warmer than any gift from the gods.

* * *

"Hurry up, hurry up! We don't want to be late!" Sakura practically sang out for the entire market place to hear; she'd looped her arm around Ino's, and dispite her knowing it was wrong the blond easily kept up with the pinkette. _She seems nice enough... despite the fact that we should be complete and utter rivals. And despite the fact that she's just using me to find Shikamaru... but I'll get to see Lord Sasuke!_

The girlish daydreams had rushed back to her soon after Sakura whisked her back off, and Ino couldn't help but feel guilty that she _didn't _feel guilty for thinking those thoughts so soon after the attention Shika had lavished on her... _But it's Lord Sasuke!_

"Won't want to be late for breakfast at the castle now, would we Ino?" Sakura said again; Ino could see the rumours already starting, muttered behind hands as if they would shield the speaker from spreading the words.

"No, we wouldn't want to be late," Ino smiled. _I'm going to get everything I ever wanted... I'm going to live in a castle with pretty dresses, and won't have to work another day in my life... and just because I can apparently convince Shika to come back; that isn't true though. That bum would never come back for someone like me, so I'll get to stay living like a princess forever._

"Never would want to be late!"

Sakura was humming happily by the time they left the market place, and Ino couldn't help but want to sing herself; everything she had dreamed about was coming to perfectly together! The pinkette waved sweetly at any guards they passed, and soon enough they were at the castle gates... here, for the first time, someone stood in their way.

"Good morning Neji!" Sakura danced up to him, her arm still linked with Ino's. "How are you?" The guard just glared down at the pinkette, and Ino couldn't help but want to cringe back. _His eyes... they have no pupils. They're just... white._ "I need to introduce Ino to you..."

"Commoners can't come in," he huffed out; Ino's knees almost gave way. _His voice! It's like kami is speaking!_

"She's going to be my new maid," Sakura explained, waving a hand in front of his face; she turned to look at Ino with a smile. "Ino, this is Lord Neji; he's one of the counsillors as well. He's the General of Lord Sasuke's army."

"Hello, Lord Neji," Ino bowed her head respectfully, but Neji just ignored her.

"You don't need another maid."

"My maid is sick right now, so Ino is going to help fix my dress," Sakura continued, her voice coming out between gritted teeth. "_Plus_, Shikamaru showed _interest_ in her before-"

"You've seen Shikamaru?" The question was directed to both of them, and Ino was faced with the terrifying task of being under the scrunity of the tall boy's white gaze.

"He was the bum I met on the street a few weeks ago..." Ino muttered, casting her eyes to the ground.

"He was probably trying to evade our attention by keeping a low-profile within the village..." the pinkette sighed. Then she smiled again. "But Ino is going to attend the party, so I'm sure he'll show up!"

Neji snorted, a hallow laugh bubbling out of his chest. "Shikamaru hasn't shown any interest in women since Hinata said that he was going to fall in love with _you_, Sakura."

"Yes, and Hinata was wrong, for once," she seemed agitated, and Ino couldn't help but feel betrayed. _Shika, in love with Sakura...? First she takes Lord Sasuke and now Shika, too? _"But you should've _seen_ them... trust me, Shikamaru has never done that to _me_."

Ino blushed, her memory hitting her full force. "Could you please not talk about me as if I wasn't here?"

Neji looked down at her once again. "... she needs to learn some manners... other than that, I suppose I'll have to allow you passage. She eats breakfast and lunch in the kitchens though, and we'll see what Sasuke says about her eating dinner with everyone else."

"I'll take care of Sasuke," Sakura only smiled, and together the pinkette and the blond passed Neji and entered the castle. Ino suddenly felt very, very cold.


	11. Everything's New

**Everything's New**

Ino hadn't seen so many new people at once in her entire life; her father used to laugh at her, telling her that the entire village that she was born in showed up to see her being born, but the blond girl was _possitive_ that there were more people here than in that village.

Servants and maids and people of all heights, colours, and sizes were walking, talking, yelling, and creating a general chaos when Sakura pulled the blond into the castle's main hall. "This is where dinner is eaten each night," the pinkette told her. "But right now everyone is trying to get ready for the party next week, so the tables have been taken to the inner court yard; we've been eating outside for almost 5 days now!"

"What about last night's storm?" Ino asked curiously, but her question was lost in the noise around them, and Sakura never answered.

The pinkette pulled Ino into a corridor off from the hallway, and not three steps later pushed her through a door; again the blonde saw dozens upon dozens of people she had never met before, but this time they were slaving over large, steaming pots, or checking ovens full of bread. She even saw little kids running around, washing dishes and taking fresh milk to whomever needed it.

"Sakura!" Ino jumped slightly, and felt the pinkette's hand wrap around her arm once again to pull her forwards; Sakura was steering them towards a rather large man with light brown hair, and an equally large bowl in his hands. "Did you bring me another worker?"

"No, Chouji!" Sakura laughed, directing Ino to sit down. "Ino is going to be my new maid for awhile... but Neji says she can't eat breakfast or lunch up with the rest of us."

"Alright," the large man (Chouji) nodded, a large smile gapping across his face. "I'll take care of her... now, you're going to be late for breakfast yourself! I sent up the first course almost ten minutes ago!" In a split second, Ino was left alone with Chouji. He continued to smile at her for a second, before shaking his head and sighing. "So, why did Sakura rope you into this..? You seem too pretty to be one of her '_usual_' maids."

_Too pretty..? What did that mean?_ Before she could help herself, she lashed out at him; "there's no such thing as too pretty, moron!"

"Deffinately not one of her '_usual_' maids then," he just laughed.

Ino huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "_Actually_," she retorted with a haughty air. "She brought me here because she believes that I'll be able to bring back Lord Shikamaru!"

The silence that followed was almost deafening.

Chouji looked around the kitchens sharply, and everyone who had paused what they were doing to look at the confused blond slowly started to go back to work; after a moment, there were only a few lingering eyes left, and Chouji looked back at her. "Take it back," he hissed gravely.

Ino blinked in confusion. _From the way Sakura was talking, I would've thought that everyone wanted Shika back..._ "Why..?"

"There's no time to explain!" He barely concealed his yell into a whisper. "Just take it back! Quick!"

"But why?" Ino started to repeat herself irritably; but before she could even get past the 'but', the door to the kitchens (the same one Sakura had pushed her through not even five minutes before hand) slammed open.

_"Did somebody say something about Shikamaru__!" _Ino, almost falling out of her chair, whipped around to see who had entered the room; it was a tall, busty, dirty blond wearing a rather tight dress. The girl looked back and forth, took a deep breath as she dusted off her deep blue skirts, and laughed slightly. "Oh, silly me... jumping everytime I hear my dear Shikamaru's name." She smiled pleasantly, and Ino found that she wanted to rip that smile right from the girl's pretty face. "Do we have a newcomer, Chouji?"

"Um... yeah..." Ino could hear the nervousness in Chouji's voice. "Temari this is... sorry, I missed your name earlier, what was it?"

She turned to smile at Chouji pleasantly. "It's Ino. Yamanaka Ino."

"As in the Yamanaka flower shop?" Temari asked. Ino tensed as Temari laughed again. "I mean the Tailor shop... it hasn't been a flower shop in years now!" _Not since my mother died._

"Breakfast is almost served, Temari," Chouji butted in cheerfully. "The servants should have the first course on the tables any minute now."

"Then I shouldn't be late," she dusted her skirts off again, gave them both a dazzling smile, and turned to leave.

* * *

Chouji sighed in relief as he watched Temari leave. _She's been acting strangely ever since Shikamaru left... and yet she still claims not to have a crush on him! _Chuckling at his own amusement, he started to turn to go back to his cooking (he was, after all, the head cook) but paused when he looked at Ino. _Riiight... guest. God I'm dumb sometimes._

"So, what do you want to eat?"

"..." She gave him the blankest look in the world, her eyes glazed over in confusion the only clue to her feelings. "Um... what was that about?"

"That was Temari," he shrugged. "Her brother is the Ruler of one of the countries West of here, and she routinely visits on peace missions and what not... Ever since Shikamaru stepped down from power she's been glued to his right hip, which is part of the reason that Sakura was glued to his left for awhile..."

"Wait... what?" She looked more confused than before, her blond bangs falling cutely into her eyes as she cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean stepped down from power?"

_This girl is rather clueless... then again, not alot of the commoners know what's been happening in the court the past few years. _"Your going to learn a LOT of new stuff over the next few days. It's going to take a little while to sink in, and it's all going to be hectic and confusing-"

She snorted out a laugh. "You can say that again... I've already met more people than I can name, and not a lot of them seem to like me."

"That's just because your a commoner," Chouji smiled at her kindly. "They'll warm up to you... you're Sakura's unofficial maid, right?" She just shrugged. "So then you'll probably spend a lot of time in the court with her getting to know people. She'll get you a few nice dresses, you put your hair up and put some make up on, and no one the wiser will think of you as anything but another courtier, I promise... now, what would you like for breakfast?"

"I would like some explanations," she said stubbornly.

"Sorry, can't make those," he shrugged sheepishly. "How about eggs and toast?"


	12. An Introduction to Magic

Sorry for the wait.

**An Introduction to Magic **

The noise lifted for a moment as the room seemed to breath, and Chouji placed a plate of eggs and what looked like browned, stale bread in front of Ino. She inspected the foriegn object Chouji had called toast, picking it up in her hands and holding it up to her nose; it smelled just the right side of burnt.

She frowned when Chouji laughed, and suddenly the noise in the kitchens picked up again as all the workers started on the next round of dishes.

"What is it?"

"You don't know what toast is?" Chouji said in amusement, abandoning the bowl he had been mixing to sit across from her; almost immediately a worker (who couldn't've been older than 10) whisked it away and took it to someone working by a fire with large sauce pans. Ino just shook her head and tried not to get distracted by everything. "It's... well, it's bread, but we brown it over a fire and... god, I've forgotten how hard it is to explain toast."

_Yes well... you don't seem like the bright sort now, do you? _She thought. "So it's basically extra cooked bread?" Ino muttered, putting the toast back down; She reached across the table to grab a fork from a pile in front of Chouji, and settled on eating the eggs.

"That's one way to put it," Chouji agreed, before grabbing a small pot and a knife and pushing it across the table towards her. "It tastes really good with strawberry jam and- Hinata! What are you doing here?" Ino turned to look at whomever had captivated Chouji's attention.

Standing at the kitchen doors was what Ino could only describe as a living doll.

"Ohayoo, Chouji-san," the girl's voice was musical, and again Ino was washed with the feeling of being spoken to by the gods themselves... but unlike when Neji had spoke earlier, the girl calmed her and she couldn't help but smile. Her pearly gaze settled on Ino, and the blond felt strangely elated. "And you must be Ino... Ogenki desu?"

"Um..." Ino blushed prettily. _What did she say?_

"Hinata is another foriegner," Chouji explained, and Ino turned her attention back to him. "But she moved here quite a few years ago when Shikamaru discovered she was the High Priestess... Shino just moved here earlier this year."

Ino looked back to see a dark figure looming just behind Hinata, his hooded cloak pulled up to hide his face. _He must be here to protect her._ "It's nice to meet you both, High Priestess, Shino," Ino bowed her head politely. Hinata giggled as she sat down.

"Yes, Shino is here to protect me," Hinata lamented; a worker walked up next to her, bowing low as he offered her a plate of eggs and toast identical to Ino's. Hinata thanked the boy, who blushed as he hurried away. "You met Neji outside with the Lady Sakura... Neji chose Shino to protect me when it became obvious that he couldn't juggle the duties of a General of War as well as looking after me; it seems that many people think that I'm an asset to have around. Something about predicting the future and such."

Ino just stared, and Chouji laughed again.

"Hinata has a knack for knowing what people are thinking," he explained. "It comes as a shock at first, but you'll get used to it." Ino nodded, pursing her lips for a second as she remembered something that Neji had said...

"No, I didn't say that Shikamaru was going to fall in love with Sakura," Hinata mused aloud. Ino blushed and turned to look at her toast. _That's creepy... how did she know I was thinking that? _She watched Hinata carefully out of the corner of her eye, tensing as she watched the girl about to speak again... "Would you like some jam for your toast, Ino?"

"Oh!" _I shouldn't think rude thoughts with her around! _"Yes, please..."

"And no, I can't actually read your mind," Hinata giggled. "So you can think of anything you would like, no matter how vulgar."

"B-but..." Ino turned fully to look at the girl; she could feel Chouji and Shino's eyes on her (even though Shino's eyes were hidden). Hinata faced her with a smile, her white eyes the exact shape of Neji's (_It's obvious they're related, even without her saying they're cousins_.), her midnight hair falling just in her eyes and pulled into a braid over her shoulder. Her porcelain white skin was covered by a thin, silken blue dress and translucent robes, and a talisman hung around her neck. "If you can't read people's thoughts, how do you know what people are thinking?"

"I can see your aura," Hinata explained gently, lifting a hand to stroke some invisible substance in the air. "And the gods enlighten me with small bits of knowledge... other than that, it's just a matter of observation and some logical thinking." She tilted her head to the side cutely. "And I know that you are important to this castle for the next few months, maybe even longer, so I'm paying you some extra attention."

_Thanks for the warning..._

"Don't feel put out, Ino," Chouji said cheerfully, and Ino smiled at him. "Just try to accept her for who she is... I know it's hard to try to understand something... _magical_, should I say? ... after living all of your life oblivious to it. But everyone knows that the gods decide everything. Hinata is just a mortal person who is gifted to help make some of those decisions happen."

"Oh, I shan't be doing this for much longer," Hinata said with a sigh, closing her eyes with a dreamy expression on her face. "Within the year I shall be useless to the gods, and Lord Sasuke will probably send me back to my country..."

"Not if Shikamaru comes back," Chouji snorted. "He didn't spend all that time convincing you to come here just for you to leave as soon as _Sasuke_ finds you useless..."

"Don't sound so disproving of Lord Sasuke," Hinata said with a sad smile. "He sees things that no one else can see, and pines like no one else can pine... he is just doing as he sees fit as a temporary measure. And he needs to make sure that Shikamaru is back at his side, because Shikamaru is the most useful to-"

"Why is Shikamaru so important?" Ino blurted out.

All eyes were back on her, and she squirmed in her seat. Hinata was smiling again.

"Because of the legend," she said mysteriously. "And because of the prophecy." _Legend? Prophecy? _But before Ino could ask, Sakura had run into the kitchen again, stopping for a moment to catch her breath.

"Chouji," the pinkette snapped. All four eyes turned to look at Sakura, and Ino couldn't help wonder if castle life was always happening at such a sudden, fast pace. _Doesn't anyone like to slow down and relax? _"Breakfast is a mess; Temari and Sasuke are arguing again and the servants are refusing to serve anyone at her table in fear of being stabbed with a fork-"

"What happened?" Chouji asked with a groan as he pulled himself up to a stand.

"She overheard me talking about Shikamaru and over-reacted, of course!" Sakura snapped. "Just go and fix it!" Chouji nodded, and left without another word. Sakura rounded on Hinata next. "Neji is looking all over for you; you should know better than to skip breakfast without sending word down with someone! And you know how he is; if we start eating without him he gets upset, and then he gets defensive because we say he's upset, and then he starts yelling-"

"He's just headed up to my tower now," Hinata said smoothly. "I'll just have someone take some breakfast up there for us and calm him down a bit before he sees you all again."

She rose from her seat and floated past them, not even stopping when Sakura held a hand out to prevent Shino from following. "And you..." Sakura glared at the cloaked boy. "You've patrolled the village every night, and haven't spoken a word to me about seeing Shikamaru... now, that just doesn't seem right." Shino just shrugged, and idly pushed Sakura's hand away as he followed Hinata out of the kitchens.

That left Ino.

Sakura slowly turned to look at the blond girl, who stood from her chair to look Sakura on even ground. "Yes, Milad- I mean, Sakura?"

A smile broke out over the pinkette's face, and she reached forwards to grab Ino's wrist and tug her towards the kitchen doors. "You and I, Ino, are going to go take a bath, and then we're going to get ready for lunch... Sasuke wants to meet you to discuss how you met Shikamaru."

Ino blushed. The wedding bells were sounding in her ears once again.


	13. The Calmer Side of Life

**The Calmer Side of Life**

His mind was numb with anger; it short-circuited his brain, sent a cold fire through his body, made him see white. He'd circled the village kami-knew how many times before he had realized that he was no farther away from the tall stone walls than he had been when going to take Ino that present. Stopping in his tracks, he forced a deep breath and dropped to his knees to lay down and look at the clouds...

... he couldn't remember the last time he had been angry.

_Stupid Sasuke. _He thought bitterly. _Selfishly thinking only of himself... this war is his own personal problem, not the problem of his people._ Taking another slow breath, he let his eyes unfocus and gaze meaninglessly at the sky as he tried to clear his oh-so-troubled mind. _...troublesome... stupid Sasuke..._

When simple mind-over-matter failed, he resorted to shutting his eyes and counting his now-shallow breaths. _One... Two... _his breathing slowed, and the rhythmic feelings and thoughts slowly calmed him down. _...four... five..._

He'd barely reached _fifteen_ when a voice asked "Hey, isn't that Lord Shikamaru?". Stiffling a groan, Shikamaru sat up and opened his eyes, only to realize that he had laid down in the middle of the small road that led to the gates of the village.

"Yeah, I think that is Lord Shikamaru," two men were paused, looking to be heading into the village. The first man sat on a horse, his leg bandaged and his arm in a sling: the second man (_More of a boy than a man, _Shikamaru thought) had a gash across his left cheek, but otherwise looked fine. "... I know you have some less-than-usual habits, milord, but why are you in the middle of the road?" the boy asked.

"... and begging your pardon," the man added. "But why are you dressed as a commoner?"

"I'm trying to avoid Lord Sasuke," there was more venom in his voice than he thought there would be, so he took another slow breath. "What brings you to this village?"

"Well... your birthday party," the man said slowly. "Lord Sasuke called upon some of the merchants and traders from the other villages to bring goods for the-"

"So he's wasting resources," Shikamaru spat out before he could master his calm again.

The boy fidgetted. _Probably doesn't feel comfortable in a conversation that could have him mistakingly labelled as a traitor. _"Milord... why aren't you at the castle?"

"Because Lord Sasuke is there," he bit back the yell, and slowly stood up. _I can be calm. I have to be calm. _

"But," the man spoke up cautiously. "If you are avoiding the Lord Sasuke... why not go to another village? You know you are most welcome, Milord, and you would be in considerably more comfort."

Shikamaru sighed, shaking his head. "There is no place within Sasuke's kingdom that he wouldn't be able to find me... and of all the other kingdoms, there is only one I could seek refuge in without risking him finding me, and unfortunately I swore never to go there again." There was silence between the three of them, before Shikamaru laughed. "The Lady Sakura would have both of your heads for speaking to me so freely."

"You saved my daughter, Lord Shikamaru," the man smiled graciously, shrugging his good shoulder. "And you offered our small village great kindness and help not as a Lord, but as a friend," Shikamaru frowned, trying to place the man's face amoung thousands... "I don't expect you to remember one of many, Milord. But my village has come to know you as a good person, not just as a good Lord."

Shikamaru only nodded.

"Father, we must head up to the castle," the boy insisted, tugging on the reins of the horse.

"Of course," the man agreed and, inclining his head in respect to the Lord in front of him, allowed his son to lead him past Shikamaru and into the village.

The dark eyed youth stood there in the middle of the road, closing his mind to all negative thoughts and feelings. _I will be eighteen in less than a week... officially a man, though I've been doing the duties of a man for so many years now. _With a sigh, he turned to watch the backs of the father and son passing into the village. _But I should really leave here... I will only cause things to get worse if I help Sasuke on his foolish little quest. But the only place I **can** go risks so much..._

Shaking his head once again, he found his feet moving. After a moment he realized that he was meandering back into the village, and after a moment longer he realized exactly where he was heading.

* * *

Ino sunk into the deliciously warm, scented water up to the corners of her eyes, her wet bangs plastered around her face and her long, pale blond locks floating around her petite frame. She hummed in content, raising an arm idly out of the water to watch the droplets fall from her fingertips.

Sakura had lead her through an incomprehensible maze of halls and corridors, until they came upon a quiet room away from the main comotion in the castle. In the room were two deep, intricate bathing tubs, already full of the hot, scented liquid that by now had permeated every inch of her skin.

Sitting up slightly, Ino sighed.

"You okay?" Sakura's voice drawled out from her side; looking to her left, Ino saw the pinkette resting her head on the side of the bathing tub, her hair pinned carefully to her scalp to avoid getting it wet.

"I'm great," Ino almost sang.

"Great," she could hear Sakura's smile, even if the Lady's face was turned away from her. "In awhile we'll go back up to my chambers; lunch will hopefully be waitng for us, and we'll get ready for dinner up there before-"

"I thought we were having lunch with Lord Sasuke?" Ino interrupted.

Sakura sighed, "you must learn to hold you're tongue," she warned. "A lot of people will love to have the chance to find faults about you... you can't give them a chance to do so, or you'll be out of the castle faster than you can blink."

The blond frowned, but nodded. "Okay."

"We'll see Sasuke at dinner," Sakura replied. "But it's a fancy affair, and you'll need help getting dressed."

* * *

Shikamaru barely paused before entering the Yamanaka Tailor Shop.

The sun had just past its peak in the sky and was starting to cast shadows to the Eastern horizon, warming the back of the Lord's neck and touching his back through the thin material of his shirt. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets, trying to appear as non-challant as he could. But that didn't prepare him for seeing Ino's father.

The tall man was slummed over in the chair Ino usually sat in, his gaze cast towards his hands resting limply in his lap; hearing the soft creek of the door he bolted upright, only to slump back down once he realized who it was.

"Shika," Ino breathed. "Are the rumours true?"

"What rumours?" Shikamaru asked, looking around the room. _Is she in the back? She wouldn't be expecting me to return... _

"People are saying that Lady Sakura took my daughter up to the castle," Inoishi's voice was hallow. The castle, while grand, was a place that innocent people were easily corrupted.

Shikamaru swallowed shallowly. He knew exactly why Ino's father was asking him. _That man is no fool... he had me pegged the minute I first walked into his shop. _"I wouldn't know."

"Where else could she be?" the man asked. "I know my daughter; she has always wanted a life of luxury, where she wouldn't have to work for every scrap on the table. She wouldn't be hard to persuade to go to the castle... but why would they want her there?"

Shikamaru's mind raced, and soon he was cursing himself. "I'm sorry, Inoishi." _I was distracted. I wasn't thinking of the outcomes. Damn it Sakura, you can be really smart at times... _"This is my fault."

"Your fault?" Inoishi laughed harshly, and Shikamaru flinched. "How could this have been your fault, Shika..?"

"Don't play dumb."

The blond man straightened in his chair, his eyes sombre and his expression grim. "I take it you're going to stop hiding behind childish nicknames then... Lord Shikamaru?"

"Yes, I supposed," he sighed again. _What a drag... I figure out the perfect way to leave and then Sakura has to waltz in and figure out the one, tiny little tie I could leave behind... _"I guess I'll have to get your daughter back for you." Inoishi only nodded.

_Perfect. Just perfect. I hate parties._


	14. The Need for Corsets?

**The Need for Corsets..?**

From the moment Ino stepped into Sakura's chambers, she had been impressed. The four poster bed, fireplace, comfy chairs... Everything was lush and lavish, right down to the soft carpet under her feet. But nothing impressed Ino more than the contents of Sakura's wardrobe. The blonde almost fainted when Sakura had opened the large double doors to reveal the most beautiful dresses the Yamanaka girl had ever seen.

The bath had been heaven, but this? This was just divine.

"I get to wear one of these?" Ino could barely breathe as she fingered the lace bodice of a pretty blue gown.

"You have to dress to impress," Sakura smiled. _I could start liking her. _

"Do all your maids get to wear dresses like this?" Ino asked haughtily, knowing the answer as she moved to pet the smooth velvet of a red dress.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course not... how many of my maids do I consort with to bring back a Lord of the Court?"

"Not many I take it?" Ino laughed. The pinkette shook her head, giggling as well. _Pretty dresses and life in the castle... and all because they think I can bring Shika back. _Humming happily, the blonde turned to Sakura with a smile. "When do we get to see Lord Sasuke..?"

"Not for a few hours yet," Sakura answered. "Lets pick out our dresses first, and then we'll eat our lunch, and then we'll get into our corsets-"

"Corset?"

"It cinches the waist," the pinkette responded immediately. "It's kind of annoying really; you can barely breathe while-"

"I know what a corset is," Ino interrupted. "Why do we need them?"

"The dresses won't fit if we don't-"

"I don't need one," the blond shook her head. Sakura gaped at her. _... I made her speechless..._

"Of course you do," the Lady gained back her composure with a huff, and turned her back to Ino as she rummaged through the dresses. "No one's waist is thin enough to fit into these dresses... except maybe Hinata, but they'd be too long for her."

Ino blinked. W_hy would they purposely make dresses that are too small in the waist..? _Shaking the thought away, she looked at Sakura intently. "I won't need one; my mother never wore a corset with dresses like these, so I won't need to either."

Sakura just shook her head.

* * *

She floated out into the torch lit courtyard in delicate dresses of white and blue. Her pale skin glowed under the moonless sky, and to anyone with eyes she appeared a flower among weeds... a soft blush spread across her cheeks when she noticed the looks being cast her way, and she took a cautious step towards the long dining table.

Dinner was Hinata's least favourite time of the day.

"You look magnificient as always, Hinata," Chouji's loud voice boomed from behind her; Hinata smiled, and took her seat. Not half a moment later Shino sat beside her, and after glancing to assure that he was there she turned to watch as Chouji sat down in the only free space left. He leaned forwards onto his elbows, his large frame somehow staying out of his way, and grinned across Hinata's lap at Shino. "Wouldn't you agree, Shino?"

"Hn," Hinata heard Shino mutter something, but could make out the words.

"I'm gifted with sight, Shino-kun," Hinata slowly turned to look at him, smiling sweetly as she glanced up from beneath her lashes. "Not with hearing." But the tall youth she had learned to call her guardian stayed silent. Giggling, Hinata turned back to Chouji.

"Looks like you made him speachless with your beauty yet again," Chouji teased good-naturedly, causing Hinata's cheeks to tinge... but before she had to think of a response, someone else approached the room. _This is important._ Turning silently in her chair, she stared at the entrance to the courtyard.

Chouji took the hint, and turned to look at the entrance as well; soon enough, most of the table had quited down and turned to look at whatever it was that Hinata was waiting for... because when Hinata waited like that, important things happened. And not a moment later, those people who preferred to watch the Gods' chosen one saw Hinata smile, all the temporary shyness wiped from her face. The last of the talkers stopped what they were doing and there was a final rustle as everyone turned to look at the newest arrival...

Into the courtyard walked Yamanaka Ino.

She was dressed in an icy blue dress that must've been made for her; the skirts fell to her feet in gentle waves, and the pearls in the bodice almost shimmered under the light. Her hair was pulled up into a complicated design of curls and little jewels. The room took a collective gasp for air before Sakura entered, looking just as stunning in a gown of dark red with roses and saphires. The pinkette smiled sweetly at the entire room before walking with Ino to another part of the table to take their own seats: Sakura sat at one of the four seats at the head of the table, and Ino sat beside her.

Hinata watched as the blond fidgeted; every pair of eyes were on her, whether to admire, or accuse, or to ponder. Why was she seated in Lord Shikamaru's chair? Why was she so beautiful? Why had no one ever seen her before?

The pale-eyed girl could only giggle again; Chouji didn't notice, but she felt Shino's eyes on the back of her head. Turning to look at her guardian, she smiled. "This girl is very important, Shino... we have to make sure everything goes accordingly."

Shino didn't say a word, but Hinata understood. Even hiding beneath his hood from the prying eyes of the room, she could tell that his face was alight with comprehension. And, as if only to confirm her suspicions, he nodded.

* * *

Sakura couldn't believe that she wasn't wearing a corsette. _There's no way that her waist can be that skinny... it's just not healthy! _But Ino had slipped into the dress easily, making Sakura red with embarrassment over the inch and a half she fought for every time she put on her corset. But really, it made no difference now. _Now the real problems could arise..._

Doors opened at the opposite side of the court than they had entered, and out into the night air walked three siblings... the guests from the neighbouring country, Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara. Sakura didn't spare them any glances as she watched the doors impatiently.

"Who're they?" Ino asked curiously. Sakura didn't answer. "I saw the girl earlier today in the kitchens... Chouji introduced her as Temari."

"Lady Temari," Sakura corrected absently. "And technically it's Sir Chouji... he's a knight."

"... a knight who works in the kitchens..?"

"He really likes to cook," Sakura replied hurridly. _And to eat, _she added.

"But who are the other-" Ino started, but another person walking into the courtyard stopped her breath on her lips.

The entire room went silent when Lord Sasuke entered.

The dark-haired teen (for really, he was slightly younger than Sakura) walked the length of the table without looking at anyone; somewhere between where Hinata sat and the head of the table Neji slipped into his seat, and Sakura glanced across the empty seat between them. Neji didn't look back, just waited for Sasuke to join them.

* * *

She couldn't breathe. She could barely think. _Sasuke... Lord Sasuke is walking towards me... he's coming here! _The wedding bells were sounding even louder in her ears, and her face flushed. _Oh, what am I going to say..? I can't just confess my feelings for him as soon as he gets here... not when we're surrounded by so many people._

He reached the end of the table, his footsteps making no sound in the grass; pausing, he looked at both Sakura and Neji in turn, before settling his gaze on her.

Ino's heart stopped.

"Who are you?" Lord Sasuke spoke to her directly. Ino tried to speak, but her lips didn't want to form the words... after what seemed like eternity Lord Sasuke's eyes flashed in irritation. "I asked you a question!"

_Just speak Ino,_ she took a deep, calming breath. "My name is Yamanaka Ino, Milord." Her words flowed musically from her lips, and she couldn't help a mental cheer as she bowed her head respectfully.

Lord Sasuke's eyes flashed again when she looked up.

His stare was intense. Intense and heated. He never broke eye contact, never blinked, just waited for some sort of response from the blond girl. _What is he waiting for..? _Her mind drifted for a moment as she thought about his onyx orbs, and she turned away from Lord Sasuke's gaze.

"Do not look away." He commanded, and she looked back into his eyes and shivvered; his black eyes had turned blood red. "How do you know Shikamaru?"

"He fell into the street one day while I was going home," Ino spoke even before she could think. _... that was strange. _

"And was this the only time you've met him?"

"No," she shook her head slightly. "He gave me silver wolf's fur for a cloak in exchange for a months worth of meals and a place to sleep." _Not that he ever slept there._

Lord Sasuke looked hard into her eyes, his blood red gaze boring into her. "And do you believe that he'll come for you?"

"Yes," she breathed without thought. Sasuke nodded and moved to sit down in the last empty spot at the table. Ino shook her head as she frowned. _... Why did I say that..? _She chanced a look towards her beloved Lord Sasuke, and noticed that his eyes were black.


	15. Preparing for the Party

_This is a rare long chapter._

**Preparing for the Party  
**

The week hadn't gone according to Ino's dreams; true, she was sleeping in a little room connected to Sakura's (and it was almost as comfortable as the pinkette's) and got to have a hot bath every day _and_ wear the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen, but she barely saw her beloved Lord Sasuke. After the first night he didn't speak another word to or about her, let alone look at her with his mysteriously changing eyes... but the blonde hadn't been given much time over the week to mull over these depressing facts, as she had been repairing Sakura's dress and helping set up for the feast. Occasionally she even helped Chouji in the kitchens, and her and the large knight were slowly becoming friends.

It was in the kitchens she was sitting now, the morning of Lord Shikamaru's birthday party.

"You look tired Ino," the blonde looked up slowly from her seat at the kitchen table, only to see Chouji walking up to her with a plate of something that looked warm and smelled good. It was still early, the sun having risen only an hour beforehand, and the kitchens were only just starting to come alive with people.

Chouji placed the plate in front of her as Ino reached for a fork. "I had a late night... Lady Temari demanded that I alter the gown she plans on wearing tonight and left her brother to make sure I didn't sleep until it was done." God_ do I hate that woman... all week she has been making my life miserable._ She sighed, before giving the plate in front of her a good look. "What are these?"

"They're called 'pancakes'," he chuckled as Ino poked at the forgien food with her fork. "They're made with flour and eggs and other stuff like that... and they're rather good. Shikamaru's favourite actually, which is why I thought I'd try making a bunch of them for everyone for breakfast. If nothing else it will keep Temari upstairs swooning over the remembrance of him instead of being down here bothering you. The two of you really don't seem to be getting along."

"It's not my fault," Ino huffed, looking at the pancakes cautiously. Chouji had piled three on her plate, and had poured what looked like watered honey over top of them. "Whats on top of them..?"

"Syrup," Chouji said simply, not even attempting to explain it. _So what's syrup..? _"It's just because she's jealous... you're a commoner and it seems like Shikamaru is willing to give you more attention than he gave her when he was around. She's used to being the best." Ino sucked up her pride and brought a small chunk of pancake to her mouth; after a moment she perked up. _These are really good! _"Don't think too much of it; she acted the same why when Sakura and Shikamaru were a couple."

"About that," Ino responded between bites. "No one has really elaborated on the Sakura and Shikamaru thing..."

"There's not much to it," Chouji shrugged. "Shortly after Temari and her brothers came here for the first time, Hinata announced that Sakura would bring Shikamaru true love, or something like that... so Temari got jealous, Sakura got a little giddy, and Shikamaru decided that it was probably the best for everyone's safety if he just got into a relationship with Sakura: it kept Temari at bay, showed Sakura that she didn't really like Shikamaru that way, and kept the riots out of the castle."

Ino blinked, forgetting about her pancakes for a moment. _He simply decided..? _"How can he take something like true love so lightly..? What if Sakura is his true love?"

The cook shrugged again. "Shikamaru seemed pretty certain that she wasn't, and after they broke up Sakura questioned Hinata about it - in front of the entire court no less."

"And what did Hinata say?"

Chouji took a moment to laugh, grabbing himself an apple from a bowl and sitting across from Ino. "It was funny," he chuckled as he took a knife to the apple, slowly peeling it. _Get on with it,_ Ino rolled her eyes. "She said," he threw his voice so that it was higher than it actually was, "_you, Sakura-chan, are going to **bring** Shikamaru-kun true love, though it will not be your own... _Sakura was livid for days."

"Of course she was," she said matter-of-factly, turning back to her pancakes. "She wasted time and effort on that lazy bum... I would be livid, too."

"Of course Ino," Chouji nodded with a smile. Ino rolled her eyes again, used to his antics. _I swear that he is more of a romantic than some girls are, _she thought to herself. _He thinks anyone and everyone could be in a relationship... _"Oh, good morning Shino."

Ino looked over her shoulder to see Shino walking into the kitchens by himself. "Good morning," he replied to Chouji, surprising Ino with how deep his voice was. _I thought his voice would be... wheezier. _He sat down a seat away from Ino, carefully placing a wrapped package on the table beside him without speaking again.

"Where is Hinata?" Chouji asked, grabbing another apple and tossing it to Shino; the hooded boy caught the fruit effortlessly, but didn't start to eat right away. _Yeah, where is Hinata? _"I don't usually see you down here without her."

Ino and Chouji both stared as Shino thought about his answer; the blonde was about to give up and turn back to her delicious pancakes when he finally spoke up. "She's sending me on an errand."

"Neji's not going to like that," Chouji laughed again, and Shino shook his head lightly. _I wonder what he looks like... _Ino thought as she took a rather large bite of syrupy pancake. _Probably blue eyes. The silent types usually have blue eyes. _"He's adamant that you watch his cousin every minute of the day usually... how are you getting around that?"

"Hinata asked me to go," Shino answered easily. A servant approached him with a small parcel Ino guessed to contain food, and with a nod Shino stood up and turned, leaving without another word. _He's so strange..._

"He likes Hinata," Chouji stated.

"Pft." Ino shook her head at him. "You think just about everyone likes just about everyone else... you were telling me just yesterday at dinner how you were _certain_ that the girl sitting across from us, Yumi, was head-over-heels for-"

"Ino?" Both Ino and Chouji jumped, not expecting any interruptions, before turning to look at the door where Shino had left mere moments earlier. Standing there, looking rather dumbfounded, was the brown haired, dark eyed teen she knew only as Kiba.

* * *

"Kiba?" Chouji watched the interactions between the two warily; he felt strangely protective over Ino, and this new comer speaking so freely with her didn't automatically sit comfortably with him. _He is the butcher's son, _Chouji reminded himself. _They probably have known each other since they were kids. _Ino stood up, hurrying over to her old friend and embracing him.

Well still a little wary, the large cook calmed down when he realized how excited Ino was and laughed at himself for thinking anything of it. _I'm sounding like an older brother of some sorts._

"What are you doing here Ino?" Chouji watched as the brunette boy, Kiba, shouted with a laugh. "I went by your father's shop to say a quick hello but no one was there, and now I come here and-"

"Lady Sakura thinks I can bring Shika back," Ino giggled, holding Kiba at arms length. Chouji had been just about to turn to go back to cooking and to leave the two friends alone to catch up on the last week, but stopped short when he heard Shikamaru's nickname. _Shika..? No one has called him that since his mom left. _

Chouji watched as the brunnette boy dropped his pack on the ground (he turned for a moment to gesture towards two servants to go grab the pack. _All my meat for tonights feast is in there._) and as he grabbed Ino's elbows, his smile obscuring the tattoos on his cheeks. "I heard someone say something about you being up at the castle, but I didn't believe it... how did it happen? How long are you going to be here? ... and who's Shika?"

"She meant Lord Shikamaru," Chouji interrupted them, pulling Ino's abandoned plate towards himself. _Why leave waste? _

Kiba jumped, letting go of Ino and staring at Chouji with wide eyes. Chouji just took a large bite of the remaining pancakes. "Lord Shikamaru?" He looked back at Ino in disbelief. "They believe that **_you _**will bring back Lord Shikamaru..?"

Chouji cringed. _I'm not even that stupid... _"What do you mean by that!" Ino snapped at him with a glare, hands on hips and an evil gleam in her blue eyes.

"I... it's just... um..." Kiba looked around nervously, trying to find a way out. Chouji almost laughed, finishing off the last of the pancakes and returning his undivided attention to the scene in front of him. "Well... face it, Ino... you can be sort of, bossy, at times..." Chouji shook his head with a sigh. _He shouldn't have said that._

"I am not!" she huffed out, her glare intensifying. Kiba backed away from her warily, trying to make himself look as small as possible. _She is pretty intimidating right now... glad she's not angry at me. _"Give me one good reason that I shouldn't hit you right now!"

_I wonder if she would really hit him?_

"Because!" Kiba piped up loudly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. Chouji noticed how Ino calmed down, her eyes transfixed on the little box with a look of recognition on her face. "I brought you something!"

"... where did you get this?" Ino asked softly, reaching out and taking the box from the brunnette's grasp.

"It's yours," Kiba replied, inching away and heading towards the kitchen table where the cook sat. "I ran into a bum outside your father's shop... he said that he saw you drop it a week or so ago, but that he hadn't seen you since then..." He made a break for it when it became obvious that she was too absorbed by the box to pay attention, and almost ran into the table in his rush to get to Chouji.

"Quite the reunion," Chouji noted dryly.

"Yeah..." Kiba grinned wolfishly as he scratched the back of his neck. "But I have to get back to _my_ father's shop, and then head back out hunting... I was thinking that I could get thirty gold for all that meat?"

Chouji grinned. _And the bargaining begins._

* * *

Ino heard them bickering but didn't pay any attention as she opened the box, her hands shaking of their own accord. _... this is the gift that Shika, that Lord Shikamaru gave to me... _She dropped the lid to the floor, the sound of it landing barely registering in her mind. There was a soft cloth inside, and hesitantly she started pulling it out. _But he should be long gone by now... he said that he wasn't going to return... _

The cloth felt weighted as she pulled it out, and she had no doubt that it was wrapped around something; she dropped the box next, holding the cloth in her hand and working up the nerve to unravel it.

"I've gotta go, Ino," she jumped, looking back up. Kiba was in front of her again.

"Oh, right," she smiled at her friend fondly, gladder than she ever could've imagined to see him again. _I never would've thought that being here would make me miss anyone, other than my father of course... _She let him pull him into a hug, and on impulse she brushed a kiss against his cheek.

He pulled away a little quickly, blushing red. "Aa... um... g-goodbye, Ino..."

"Goodbye, Kiba," she mentally laughed at his awkwardness, and watched as he left.

She took a few deep breathes after he had gone, closing her eyes and concentrating on the feel of the cloth in her hands, and the underlying texture of whatever it was wrapped it. Exhaling all at once, she turned to look at Chouji; the large cook was looking at her in amusement.

"A, aa, _friend_ of yours..?"

"Don't even think it, Chouji," Ino laughed, before looking at the cloth again.

"What's that?" the cook asked, trying to look innocent.

Ino looked at the tiny parcel in her hands, and nervously finished unwrapping it; she held the gift in her palm, her cheeks tinging pink. "It's... an early birthday present." She muttered. _Thank you, Shika. _

* * *

Inoishi walked into his shop late that afternoon, a parcel in his arms and a sigh on his lips. He moved to the back of the shop where his and his daughter's beds were set up, and looked around for the lone figure sitting by the kitchen fire. "I've brought them, Lord Shikamaru."

"Don't call me lord," the dark eyed teen muttered, not turning to look at Inoishi; he was looking into a mirror that was propped on a shelf on the wall, carefully shaving himself with the straight razor he had borrowed. He made another pass over his skin with a sigh. "Did you get it alright?"

"Everything was as you said, Milord," Inoishi told him, placing the parcel on the end of his daughter's bed. "Are you sure about going to the feast?"

"It is my party," Shikamaru replied. "They can't turn me away... I gain diplomatic immunity just by being there." He finished his shaving carefully, before turning to look at Inoishi. "Once I get Ino back for you, I can leave peacefully..." _Assuming, of course, that she doesn't decide to be a complete ditz and want to stay at the castle, which puts me in a temporary stalemate..._

"Of course, Milord," he could hear the doubt in Inoishi's voice. Shikamaru had to ask himself, why was he even bothering? _Who am I kidding, she's obviously the type to want a good life... I should just cut my losses and leave now._ He sighed again, pushing himself to a stand and walking to where Inoishi had placed the parcel; Inoishi had already turned and was heading back into the main part of the shop, where he had spent most of his time sewing alone by the fire and watching the door.

Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru unwrapped the parcel and dumped it's contents gracelessly onto the bed before starting to strip his clothes off of his newly washed skin; he'd spent the better part of the day scrubbing off several months worth of dirt and grime. His hair was still slightly damp from the vigorous washing it had recieved. Shivvering as the cool afternoon air licked at his skin, he grabbed the nearest item on the bed; a dark green tunic, trimmed in silver.

_Thank you, Hinata. _

He wasn't sure how, but Hinata always knew when he needed something. The high priestess didn't always act on it, but the few times she did it didn't matter if Shikamaru was across the room or across the country, she always managed to get him exactly what he needed exactly when he needed it. This time was no different; the day before Shino had found him and had asked if he had a preference in clothing to wear to the feast, and today... today he had clothes.

_She probably pays extra attention to me because I brought her in when her own country abandoned her_, Shikamaru mused, pulling on his black trousers before grabbing his white vest. The green embroidery covering the white material was in the same vine-and-leaf pattern as the silver trim on the tunic.

The last things he pulled on before turning to leave was the wolf-fur cloak he had watched Ino unknowingly make for him, and the gloves she had made for `Shika`.

* * *

No one had really known how Shikamaru had left the first time; it was as if, after the very loud, very public arguement with Lord Sasuke, he simply vanished while walking into the hallway. No one had seen how he had practically melted into the shadows; his father used to tell him that if he hadn`t ended up as a reknown stratigist and as a Lord, then he should`ve been a thief, because no one saw him unless he wanted to be seen...

... so it was no wonder that after leaving the Yamanaka Tailor Shop, Shikamaru managed to get through the patrolled streets, into the guarded castle, and outside the busy courtroom without beng noticed.

He stood against the wall now, hood pulled up over his face and bare fingers hooked into his belt as he watched the doors in front of him, listening to the commotion within. The smells of the (undoubtedly) fantastic feast to come were wafting up from the kitchens, reminding Shikamaru of his best friend and cook. _Chouji will be happy to see me, no doubt... and so will a lot of people._ By the sounds of it, the entire castle was in the courtroom, sparing perhaps a few servants and the guards outside.

A servant was walking by just then, eyes averted out of instinct.

Taking a deep breath, Shikamaru pushed himself off of the wall and took a step to stand in the way of the servant. _And now, for the troublesome part... _The servant stopped immediately, eyes still averted, and made a curt bow. "How may I be of service..?"

_... what a drag... _"I need you to announce me," he pulled down his hood and watched as the servant glanced up quickly to see who it was, only to freeze in shock.

"Lord Shikamaru?"

"Yes," he sighed again. _I'm already regretting this... stupid wench, Ino... _"Now please, stop staring and go announce me; gods know that Sakura will murder me if I enter my own party unannounced... and afterwards, open the gates and tell the guards that I have invited a few people to join in the festivities."

"Of course, Lord Shikamaru..."


	16. Happy Birthday Shika

**Happy Birthday Shika**

The courtroom was gorgeous. Lights akin to fireflies danced across the ceiling, and torches on the walls cast long shadows in every direction. The tables were pushed to the walls and laden with food, but everyone was standing and dancing and listening to the music as they laughed with their friends, occasionally grabbing something to eat while they walked. In fact, if you wanted to sit you had to leave the courtroom and go outside, where long benches had been set up under the stars.

Ino stood by herself to the side of the room, Sakura having been asked to dance by an overly enthusiastic knight named Lee. The pinkette had apologized, but Lee was a friend of hers and she left to dance anyways.

"Are you having a good time?" Ino looked up to see Hinata approaching her, Shino by her side; the high priestess was wearing stunning blue robes, sewn in a fashion Ino had never seen before.

"I am, Hinata," Ino bowed her head politely, glancing down at her own dress; it was a deep purple that softened her figure and hung loosely on her shoulders. _I wonder if I would look good is a dress like that..? _"How are you?"

"Oh, alright, I suppose," Hinata said almost dreamily, before shaking her head with a blush. "I don't really enjoy these sorts of events... all these people around cloud my vision somewhat, and..." she trailed off, glancing over her shoulder and into the crowd; Ino followed her gaze, only to see several suitors looking almost longingly in the high priestess' direction. "Well, it is a little embarrassing to be, how to say it..."

"Lusted after?" Ino offered, laughing as Hinata turned bright red.

"Aa... I s-suppose," Hinata stumbled over her words shyly; Shino stepped behind her, sheilding her from the prying eyes of the many suitors in the room. _You know... Chouji may have a point about those two... _"Arigatou, Shino-kun."

"Where did you get that dress, Hinata?" Ino asked, drawing the couple's attention back to herself.

"Oh," Hinata looked down at her dress adoringly. "Neji-nii-chan brought it back from our country... it's called a kimono."

"A kimono?" _Whatever it's called, it's pretty. _She looked up, ready to ask Hinata if she could borrow it to fashion a pattern off of, only to pause when she realize that Hinata was staring somewhere else.

The Hyuuga girl's eyes were glazed, making her pupil-less gaze even more god-like. She muttered something that Ino couldn't hear, and the doors to the courtroom were pushed open. The entire room hushed as a servant entered, bowing low. _I thought everyone had __already arrived?_

"His Excellence, Lord Shikamaru."

* * *

He cringed as he walked into the room. All eyes were boring into him, not believing that he was there. Even the musicians had stopped to look at him. _This silence is deafening... _Shikamaru sighed, before looking around the room, eyes catching on the firefly lights above him. _Looks like Hinata helped decorate. _

The crowd parted, and between them walked the one person that Shikamaru had spent so long trying to avoid. "Sasuke."

"Shikamaru," Sasuke replied casually, as if he'd only seen him hours prior. Shikamaru looked into Sasuke's eye unflinchingly, and in moments both the lords took in each others appearances. _He's skinnier, _Shikamaru mused. _Which means he's been stressed and skipping meals... which means that the war is taking a turn for the worst. _"You look like hell."

"Sleeping on a wall for a few months does that to you," Shikamaru told him dryly. "Any luck with your war?" Sasuke glared, but didn't respond. "No? Pity you didn't happen to know exactly where you needed to go..."

"Pity." Sasuke hissed, and for a brief moment his eyes went red. _Lovely, as well as being stressed, he's in a bad temper. This is such. A. Drag. _"And how long do you plan to stay this time, Shikamaru?"

"I don't plan to stay at all," he moved, taking a few steps forwards and brushing past Sasuke; the crowd, which had been slowly inching closer so that everyone could hear the words spoken between the two Lords, parted once again. "I'm here to fetch someone and then I'll be on my way."

He could hear Sasuke following his steps. "You made a mistake, Shikamaru!" He yelled at Shikamaru's back. _Rub it in why don't you... _"How unlike you... didn't you think though your actions? Don't you always plan ahead?"

"You can't predict everything that is going to happen," he said evenly, unwilling to look back at Sasuke... and that's when he saw her, standing with Hinata and Shino. He faltered for a moment, his mind going blank, before he took another step. _This is so troublesome. _Taking a deep breath he continued to move in her direction. "That is why, _Lord_ Sasuke, you have someone like Hinata who acts as a High Priestess. She can glimpse what the gods are planning, and only the gods can know everything."

"Yes, which is why you brought her back from whatever obscure country her and her cousin came from," Sasuke spat out. _That was harsh. _He saw Hinata look away from them both, a sad look on her face. Shino looked at Shikamaru from under his hood before quietly leading her away from the oncoming commotion. "I asked her where you were," and then there was Ino, frozen in place. "Do you know what she said?"

"That she couldn't see me?" He could see the nervousness on the girl's face, in the way she fiddled with her necklace, and in the depths of her cerulean eyes.

"She-"

"Be quite for two minutes," Shikamaru snapped, turning so fast that the crowd tripped over their own feet trying to keep up with the scene. Sasuke paused calmly, his brow drawn together in a frown.

"You're going to stay." Sasuke stated.

"I'll be gone before morning," Shikamaru reassured him.

"You can see what a single action will cause in a years time," Sasuke lamented, taking a small step forwards to look down his nose at Shikamaru. His eyes were turning red again. "Your chosen High Priestess can see the plans of the gods; some people can even see the very threads of fate." Sasuke voice was calm and calculated, and he knew that he would be paying for his mistake. "But I... I can see the truth, Shikamaru. And the truth is that you will be staying. Happy Birthday."

Shikamaru watched as Sasuke stepped away and turned, walking through the parting crowd and towards the doors.

"I hope you don't mind!" Shikamaru called suddenly, causing him to pause and look back. _They should be here by now... _"I invited a few people to come along!"

As if waiting for the cue, the doors opened like they had when Shikamaru had entered the courtroom. Again the crowd turned towards the doors, expecting a Duke from a neighbouring village, or maybe a fair maiden... but in through the doors, walked every single person who lived in the village.

_That should annoy him._

* * *

Her attention had been caught with everyone elses, but when she had seen the first of the people walking through the doors she laughed. A few of the suitors looked at her in confusion, while others were looking at the new comers in disgust. _Shika must've wanted to annoy everyone, _she giggled quietly, spotting her father walking through the doors; a moment later she saw Kiba and his father being dragged into the room. _That must be Kiba's mom._

"Ino," she looked back to where Shikamaru was standing, maybe half a dozen steps away.

She felt like she had on that morning a week ago, with him leaning overtop of her, pressing kisses to her neck. Unconsiously she touched her neck, close to where ner neck dipped into her collar bone. _Why am I remembering that **now**? _She thought with a blush.

"Ino," he said again, startling her; he was almost in front of her now, though she didn't remember seeing him move. She looked into his tanned face, and watched as his dark eyes looked over her form... and then she frowned. "You weren't supposed to open that until your birthday," he told her irritably.

She grabbed the pendant around her neck, flushing red. "If I wasn't supposed to open it right away, why did you bother giving it to me early?" She accused him, emotions struggling between anger, frustration, and embarassment. _He hasn't seen me in a week and he's complaining about a necklace?_

"I don't even know when your birthday is!" he snapped back at her. "I gave it to you because I wasn't expecting to have time to give it to you _now_, and I _hoped_ I wouldn't be seeing you again after!"

A sudden pain in her chest caught her off guard. _...he doesn't want to see me? _"Fine! Take the stupid thing back!"

She moved to pull the necklace off, but he grabbed her wrist to stop her. "It's a gift, you troublesome girl... you _can't_ give it back." He took a deep breath, and she took a moment to feel how cold his fingers felt against her pulse. "What would I do with a stupid necklace anyways?"

"You..." She was staring at his hand, clasped around her wrist; he was wearing the gloves she had made him. _He... he didn't... _"You jerk!"

"Wait, why am I a jerk now?"

"You mutilated them!" Worming out of his grasp, she grabbed his hand and held it up in front of his own face; every single finger in the silver lined gloves that she had spent her precious time making for him, was cut out. "I made these to thank you, and you mutilated them!"

"They're just gloves!" he barked back at her.

"If you can't appreciate something I've made, then you can't appreciate me!"

"What doesn't appreciating you have anything to do with this?"

The pain was back again, a sharp stab just beside her breast bone. "If you don't even appreciate me, why are you here?" _He's sacrificing his chance to leave, to not have to put up with Lord Sasuke, whom he obviously doesn't get along with... if he isn't doing that because of me, then why?_

"Don't flatter yourself!" His dark eyes were angry, unlike she had ever seen him. Normally he was calm, collected, smiling once in awhile to tease her but mostly being annoyed. _Is this how he really is? _"If it weren't for you, I would be halfway across the country by now; I'm here because I have morals, and respect, and because _your_ father didn't want to see you being corrupted by-"

"**_Your doing this for my father!_**" She was livid. "Your doing this, **_not_** because of any feelings, hell, not even **_out of guilt!_** Just because **_of my father!_**" She turned her back on Shikamaru, and realized for the first time that now the crowd was looking at her. Taking a deep breath she crossed her arms. "Well, I'm glad that you did, _Lord Shikamaru_," shut her eyes tightly, ignoring everyone around her. "Because now you can see just how _happy _I am to be here... and I'm _not_ going to be leaving anytime soon. So either you can leave, and go back on whatever word you gave my father - and I know you gave your word, because what else other than your word would be _important_ enough to bring you here?" She looked over her shoulder at him, seeing the surprised look on his face. _What, not expecting this? Ha. _"Or you can stay."

She left, without going and saying hello to her father or laughing with Kiba. And no one tried to stop her. _Serves him right._


	17. Happy Birthday Ino

**Happy Birthday Ino**

Shikamaru stood there, dumbfounded and mouth gapping open as he watched Ino leave; Sakura wasn't sure she could stand to watch him much longer. _Oh hell, _the pinkette thought. _Might as well snap him back to his usual self..._ Looking at her dance partner apologetically, she moved to leave.

"Wait," her partner, Lee, didn't want to let go of her wrist. "Would you maybe like to have a private lunch with-"

"No, thank you Lee," she smiled at him pleasantly, though she sighed mentally. _When will you get the picture Lee? I don't like you as anything more than a friend. _"With Lord Shikamaru back, him, Neji and I are going to be busy in meetings and preparing for winter."

"Ah..." Lee looked chestfallen, but after a moment he smiled back at her brightly. "Well then, I'll just wait until things settle back down again, and then we'll have lunch together..?"

Sakura laughed, "of course, Lee." Smiling at her friend, she bade him goodnight and walked over to where Shikamaru standing, still looking dumbfounded. "You probably deserved that," the pinkette told him lightly, resting her hand under his chin to push his jaw closed.

Shikamaru blinked before he focused on her, rolling his dark eyes as he composed himself. "It's not my fault that her father wants her back," he crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Oh, stop being childish," Sakura shook her head with a sigh. "You're just being snarky because someone, namely me, got the better of you, and the only reason that happened was because of her." She leaned forwards to whisper in his ear, ignoring the crowd of people who were still watching Shikamaru. "Face it, Shikamaru... women make you stupid."

"It's a biological defect," he huffed, stepping away from her. "And really it's only because no one sane can guess what you troublesome women are thinking, and without that sort of information no decent plan can be extrapa-"

"Save the sweet talk," she sighed again. "Whatever you say, you're stuck here, and if it'll keep you here Lord Sasuke won't argue about her being here."

Shikamaru quited, looking silently at the floor for a few moments while he thought. When he finally spoke again, his voice was cold and calculated, all the anger and annoyance once again gone. "You have no need for another maid," he said. _Looks like he's back to planning. _"And we can't have a useless person walking around; send her up to Hinata tomorrow. It's getting colder and the fires need to be tended in her room at night, and gods know that if Neji catches Shino in her room after dark again we'll have to spend another year finding another suitable guardian for her."

"Of course, Shikamaru," Sakura smiled. "Welcome back."

* * *

Morning fell upon her like a sack of potatoes falling on top of her skull; her head was throbbing, her eyes felt sore, and her body ached. It was as if she had spent the night tossing and turning on a bed of hot coals. _I slept, _Ino thought angrily, turning away from the sunlight pouring in through her window. _Why do I feel so bad?_

And then it all came back to her. "Stupid Shika."

"Good morning to you, too," Ino jumped at the voice, her heart leaping into her throat as she sat up and tried to find her way out of the tangle of sheets and blankets.

When she had (finally) extracted herself from her predicament, she turned to see Sakura sitting on her windowsill. "Oh, it's just you," the blond said with a sigh. Calming down a bit, she pushed the blankets away and stood up to find her hair brush. "How was the rest of the party?"

"Interesting," Sakura said sarcastically; Ino sat at the vanity in the corner and watched the pinkette through the mirror. She didn't seem particularly happy that her plan to bring Shikamaru back had succeeded. _That's strange. I thought she'd be thrilled. _The pinkette stood up from her seat, walking to Ino's wardrobe as the blonde began brushing her long locks. "Lord Sasuke was, of course, not impressed with Shikamaru's guests, but the damage was done and the commoners stayed," Ino held back a retort at the word 'commoner'. _Even if she does treat me as a friend, I'm one of those **commoners** she doesn't like... _"But after the initial awkwardness, everyone started to get along. A large amount of alcohol didn't hurt. Your father though... I think he tried to kill Shikamaru at one point."

"Why would he try to kill Shikamaru?" Ino asked.

Sakura glared, opening her wardrobe and pulling out a couple of dresses. "It's Lord Shikamaru to you; remember your status."

"About that," Ino could feel the increasingly familiar anger building up inside of her, reminding her of the night before. "Now that _Lord_ Shikamaru is back, what happens to me?"

"It's been decided that you will become Hinata's handmaiden," Sakura answered, ignoring Ino's tone of voice as she threw the dresses onto Ino's bed and pulled out a couple of more. "You'll be moved to a room up in her tower; you can keep some of my older dresses, and I'm sure you'll acquire more as time goes-"

"You decided this without asking me?" The blond held back her anger, brushing her hair furiously and almost pulling the locks out by the roots.

"The council members decide most of the things that happen in the village," Sakura sighed, pilling a few more dresses onto the bed before pausing to look at the blond. Ino watched her out of the corner of her eye. "And since Shikamaru is the highest ranking of us on the council, he decided that I don't need anymore maids. So you'll cater to Hinata's needs during the winter."

Ino glared at her own reflection, not trusting herself not to yell if she opened her mouth to speak. _So I get him to come here, and how do they reward me..? By letting **him** decide to send me into a tower! _She saw Sakura's reflection step behind her, and the pinkette took the brush out of her hands and continued to gently brush Ino's hair.

Ino slowly relaxed, and tried to remind herself that this was just how Sakura was raised, how she lived her life.

"That's a pretty necklace," the pinkette said after awhile, putting the brush down on the vanity and parting Ino's locks into three sections. Ino looked at the necklace in the mirror, bringing a hand up to stroke the pendant that hung like a teardrop just above the hem of her collar. "It's reminds me of one that Lady Yashino used to wear. That's opal, right?"

"I'm not sure," the teardrop pendate was strung on a fine silver chain, with a blue iridescent stone embedded in the middle. "I've never seen opal before... who's Lady Yashino?"

"Oh... she's Shikamaru's mother," Sakura hummed as she braided.

_Shika's mother..? _Ino's mouth suddenly felt dry. "Aa... really?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "Where did you get it, anyways?"

"A birthday present," Ino muttered nervously.

"When was your birthday?"

"Aa... today, actually."

"Today?" Sakura finished the braid with a laugh, then turned to lean against the vanity and look in to Ino's blue eyes. "Well, Happy Birthday Ino. Did you want me to have Chouji make you something special?"

"No, that's okay," Ino smiled, before a thought occured to her. _Father!_ "I'd just... do you think it would be okay if I visited my father..?"

"Of course," Sakura smiled back at her. "I'm going to be busy all day in a meeting with Neji, Shikamaru, and Lord Sasuke," Ino glared at the dreamy look that crossed Sakura's eyes when she said Sasuke's name, but tired to ignore it. "But I can arrange for a guard to escort you."

"I'm capable of going on my own," Ino replied darkly.

"I know," Sakura said with a laugh. The pinkette stood up straight, glancing out of the window before heading towards the door. "But it'll be easier this way... I'll have the guard arrive shortly, so be ready to leave. And happy birthday again, Ino."

With that Sakura was gone, and after a moment Ino stood up and headed towards the pile of dresses on her (now former) bed. Sighing, she chose a plain blue dress to change into, her mind wandering back to the necklace she still wore. _Stupid Shikamaru... why bother giving me something that should be so precious if you couldn't be bothered to come back for **me**..?_

* * *

Inoishi had been dragged out of the feast by a small horde of guards the previous night, having put himself into into ill favour with the hosts when he tried to throw a punch at the Lord who had promised him that he would have his daughter back by now. _Oh, my dear Ino... you don't know how it will be like in the castle, _he thought, gingerly touching his newly black eye as he sat in the back of the shop. He had a silken dress folded in his lap, which he had spent the last week sewing. _You won't be accepted, no matter how hard you try..._

Hearing someone coming into the shop, he sighed and stood up, putting the new dress in the spot he vacated as he moved to head into the main section of the shop; a voice however, caused him to stop.

"Do you always talk like that?" It was the angelic voice of his daughter. _Ino!_

He was about to rush forwards to find his beloved daughter and pull her into a hug and refuse to ever let her go again, when another voice interrupted him. "Like what?" It was a familiar voice. Inoishi identified it as one of the guards that had protected Lord Shikamaru.

"You know what," came his daughter's retort. "I heard what you said to Sakura before we left... _I'll finish this mission successfully, or I'll run 5000 laps around the village! _... what was that about?"

"I was simply setting a suitable training regime to follow through if I do not prove youthful enough to do as Lady Sakura says."

"... You're only a year older than me."

"But-"

"It doesn't matter," she cut off the young man, and Inoishi heard his daughter walk towards the back door. "You've succeeded in your 'mission', so thank you. Now if you don't mind..." Inoishi had to remind himself that he was not imagining things as Ino walked through the back door. "I'm here to visit you, father."

"Ino," the blond man let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and moved forwards to pull his daughter into a hug. "Oh, Ino... I thought I'd lost you. I suppose I owe Lord Shikamaru an apology now." He felt her tense in his arms, and frowned. _... She isn't here to stay. _Sighing again, he moved away from his daughter and went to pick up the dress he had left on the bed.

"Father..." Ino muttered as he turned his back to her. "I... I'm going to stay at the castle, if that is alright."

_I know darling, I know... at least there, I guess, you'll be closer to being treated as the princess you are. _"Is that right..?"

"I... I'm sorry." She sounded so nervous, so hesitant. And when Inoishi turned back to look at her, dress back in his hands, she had turned away. A tall young man stood in the door way, his bowl-cut black hair just falling into his eyes as he watched the scene between father and daughter. _That must be who came in here with her... an escort, no doubt._

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Inoishi told her tenderly; he couldn't help but notice the way she fiddled with the pendate around her neck. _I've never seen that before... it must've been a birthday present from one of her friends. _He looked up then at the dark haired man. "Thank you..?"

"My name is Lee, good sir," the young man made a dramatic bow. "It was my pleasure to-"

"Thank you Lee," Inoishi interrupted him. _He seems the type to keep talking if you don't stop him. _"For bringing my daughter back to me... I assume that you are to escort her back to the castle later?"

"Yes," he rose from his bow just as dramatically as he had made it, an over-achieving smile on his face. _He's trying too hard. _"I can just wait in the-"

"If you'd come back at sundown, Lee?" Inoishi asked politely. "Me and my daughter have much to catch up on, and as it's her birthday, there will be many things that we are going to do today."

"Aa, of course," Lee bowed again, this time stepping back and leaving the room. "I shall see you again, Ino! Have a wonderfully youthful birthday!"

Both blond father and daughter waited, frozen in time and space, as Lee's footsteps sounded through the shop. Even if the dark haired youth went directly to the front door, it seemed far too long until they both heard the door come to a final close. Both blonds sighed, before looking at each other. And then, with identical smiles, they both laughed.

"He seems..! Quite..! The character..!" Inoishi managed to say between laughs.

"You've no clue!" Ino replied with a giggle. "We had to stop eleven times so that he could held out around the market place doing 'youthful' deeds!" Their laughter increased tenfold, and Ino fell back into her father's loving arms once again.

After several long minutes, the two of them quited down. Inoishi smiled down at his daughter, and pulled away from her just enough to hold up the newly sewn dress. "I finally made you a new dress, Ino... do you think it will hold up in court?"

"Most of the dresses in court were made by us anyways, father," was Ino's retort.

"Well then, this should top all of them," Inoishi told her. "My finest work yet... a beautiful dress for my beautiful daughter."

Ino smiled back at her father, taking the dress and holding it to her chest. "Thank you, father."

"Of course... Happy Birthday Ino."


	18. How to Prevent the Flu

**How to Prevent the Flu**

Lee hadn't touched one cobblestone of the tower, shivvering as he commented on how the old stones weren't youthful, weren't normal. He'd left her to climb the stairs on her own, promising to wait at the bottom of the tower until she either called down to him for help, or until someone came to relieve him of his duty to be his escort. _"But Hinata," _Lee had explained. _"Specifically told every single guard, one by one, that an ancient magic flows within her tower that does not tolerate mortal weapons of war, and might not look kindly to the weilders of such weapons visiting her at any hour of the day."_

Ino had looked at him in confusion, and he reiterated for her. The gods didn't like threats in the sacred place of priests. And they had been known to appease their anger with blood.

So Ino had climbed the steps on her own, and now neared the top of the tower. She'd just rounded the last bend, and saw an oak door waiting at the end of a tiny landing. Mounting the last few steps as quickly as she could, she took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself for what was to happen.

The blond girl couldn't help but grin, her eyes following the painted designs of flowers on Hinata's door as her mind wondered to the day she had spent with her father. Several times her father had asked her to stay, to not go back to the castle, but each time she refused he didn't push her and they returned to laughing over meaningless jokes and remembering birthdays gone and past. Lee had returned around sunset, as asked, but the youth-obsessed man only ended up joining in their conversations. It wasn't until darkness had fully settled and the moon had started rising in the sky that they even began headed back towards the castle.

A bug buzzed past her ear, but she ignored it. Ino only gripped the bag that was slung over her shoulder, thinking to the many people who had dropped by once the news that she had gone to visit her father had spread. As well as the new dress her father had crafted for her, people had gifted her with bracelets and baubles and even a few silver coins.

But before she could fully submerse herself into the pleasant memories of the day, the door opened.

Ino was startled to be looking up into the darkest green eyes she had ever seen. _Who is this?_ The green orbs sparked with annoyance, but it was too late; the blond girl's eyes were captivated by the stranger before her, and she drank in his appearance like a hermit drank sake.

A man stood before her, his skin fair and his hair wild. One of his hands gripped the door frame as the other held the door open, fully impressing on the blond the breadth of his shoulders; for reasons unknown to Ino he wasn't wearing any sort of tunic, and blushed as her eyes traveled over the smooth expanse of his chest. His torso appeared to be chiseled out of moon-pale marble. Her mouth felt dry.

"Your late," her eyes flickered up to his lips as he spoke in a familiar baritone. _Shino! _He took a step back, his arms moving from their posts to beckon her inside. Ino walked in cautiously, not sure of what to expect.

"Konban wa, Ino-chan," Ino sought out Hinata's cheery voice, and saw the priestess sitting on a four poster bed of silken sheets and many pillows. The blond blushed, noticing Shino's normal cloak wrapped around the petite girl's frame. _They weren't doing... no, definitely not. _Ino's blushed deepened. "Shino-kun," Hinata continued, pausing for a moment to look at the half-naked man who stood beside Ino. "Was getting worried that you wouldn't come."

"Well, here I am now Hinata," Ino managed to reply hoarsely, stubbornly refusing to look anywhere near Shino.

"Shino-kun, maybe you should put your shirt and cloak back on," Hinata hummed, a soft tinge coming to her cheeks as well. "I think you are making our guest uncomfortable." Ino heard him make a sound of acknowledgement and saw him move out of her peripheral vision.

When he returned, he was wearing a long sleeved tunic.

Ino sighed in relief, and Shino moved towards the table beside Hinata's bed. "There's three basic oils you need to know for tonight," he acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. _Why in all four hells was he up here with Hinata, alone, and not wearing a shirt? _Ino questioned herself. _That's entirely improper for a **commoner** to be doing, let alone someone in the **court!**_

Shino cleared his throat and cast her a glance that clearly said 'why aren't you over here?' "Sorry!" Ino apologized and rushed to stand beside him. The green-eyed boy ignored her comment and pointed towards a small rack that held dozens upon dozens of little vials of oils, each one labelled in neat calligraphy. Three vials were misplaced from the rack, and were placed beside a strange little device that hovered above a candle. "So, what's the importance of the oils?"

"Aromatherapy." Was Shino's simple reply.

At the blonde's blank look, Hinata spoke up. "You can incite different raw feelings or emotions with aromatherapy," the priestess explained, drawing Ino's attention to her. "These three are simple... one calms, one invigorates, and another stimulates."

Both Ino and Hinata blushed at the innuendo of her last word.

"There are matches here," Shino pulled her attention back with his words as he pointed out the matches. "You know how to light a fire?" Ino nodded. "Good, because it gets cold up here and you need to make sure that Hinata doesn't catch a chill. Now..." he proceeded to hurriedly explain which of the three vials did what, and how to make the aromatherapy work with the little device that floated above the candle.

Once he was done he took a long, deep breathe, and looked at Hinata. Ino looked between the two, noticing the priestess' shy smile. "That's all, Shino-kun... Oyasumi."

Her guardian nodded, and was about to turn to head to the door when he stopped, looking at Ino once again. "Here," he pulled a flask out of seemingly no where. "Drink this... it will allow you to stay awake through the night. You'll be sleeping mostly during the daytime now. I'll bring you up some dinner in about an hour." He waited for the blond to take the flask, before leaving briskly.

Ino just blinked, looking at the flask in her hands.

"I have to stay up all night?" Ino questioned aloud, bringing the container to her lips to drink. _That sucks... I would've put up more of a fuss if I had known that. _

"You won't even feel tired," Hinata told her with a giggle, standing up from her seat on the bed. "But it's necessary, apparently... since it gets so cold up here during the winter, I tend to get sick if there isn't a fire on all night." She shed Shino's cloak from her shoulders before turning to settle into bed, and Ino blushed again.

Underneath the cloak, Hinata hadn't been wearing anything.

_What were they doing before I got here?_ "Um... Hinata?"

"Hai, Ino-chan?" Hinata said with a yawn, lying down on her soft pillows and pulilng a thin, translucent sheet over her legs.

Ino headed towards the fireplace in the corner of the room, too embarrassed to look at the naked woman on the bed. _Might as well get a fire started. _"... are you and Shino in a relationship...?"

"N-no," Hinata stuttered out nervously. _She doesn't sound like she's lying... but she does sound regretful. _"Relationships of that sort are forbidden to priestesses."

"Why?" Ino asked, striking a match and watching some kindling catch fire. "And why, if you aren't, was Shino not wearing a shirt, and were you naked under his cloak..?"

"B-because," she sounded even more nervous than before. "I prepare for b-bed right at d-dusk... but when Shino realized that you w-were l-late, he came up to k-keep me c-company. Not w-wanting to h-have me get redressed, he l-lent me his cl-cloak so th-that I would be de-decent..." Ino could hear the embarrassment in her voice. _Well... I would be embarrassed too, if I got caught in that situation._

"And why was he shirtless..?" she fanned the flamed until a log caught fire, and waited for Hinata's response.

"B-because..." the priestess sounded tired, and Ino heard her shift around her pillows. "We were eating d-dinner t-together, and he sp-spilled f-food on his shirt... he k-keeps a sp-spare set up here, j-just in case..."

Ino nodded, seeing the logic in that. _If something did happen, it wouldn't be wise to leave the tower just to get changed and come back. _"But you still haven't said why a relationship would be forbidden in the first place," Ino pestered.

She never got an answer, for Hinata had already drifted into a prophetic sleep.


	19. The Dream

**The Dream**

The air was thick, slowing time and thought, even light. All the colours of the spectrum misplaced themselves in her eyes, creating a collage of hopes and dreams for her to see; here there was a wedding plan, there a mission to be the best... but they were cast under a cloud of contempt, a storm waiting to break the ship that was their salvation.

And out of the confusion stepped a faceless figure. He smiled with twinkling eyes, blinding her all-seeing gaze until he was the only one that she could ever know, and held up a hand for her to take; she remembered the ring. She had given it to him, and he wore it on his pinky whenever she was around. Any other time it had been cast into an out of the way corner, where he wouldn't even have to look at it.

Words flowed from his lips in a language few understood, and she smiled before she replied. "Hello Naruto."

* * *

The sun had just started to shine brightly within the tall tower, signifying a time when people awoke to eat breakfast and go about getting things done in their day... but not Ino. For a week now, the shining sun had signaled her time to sleep. Her time to forget about the night's loneliness, where her only companion was the occasional visit from Shino. Sighing, the blond girl looked away from the slowly dying fire, and instead cast her eyes onto the still sleeping Hinata.

As if knowing that Ino would be looking, the girl's lips were moving. The blonde stepped closer to try and hear what was being said, but the short words were left unheard. _She usually talks in her sleep,_ Ino reminded herself. _If it was something important, she tells me about it when she wakes up... _And then, as if knowing what Ino was thinking, the girl's eyes fluttered open.

Hinata stretched as she woke up, even if she didn't consciously realize it. It caused her translucent sheets to slip down her pale skin, leaving a line of goose-pimples in its wake. It caused her to arch her back, raising her small breasts in what many people would consider a very alluring way... and it caused Ino to blush and turn, remembering that the High Priestess deprived of clothing to bare her body to the gods. To show them that she had nothing to hide.

"Ohayoo, Ino-san," Hinata muttered, all sleep cast from her voice as she rose to greet the day. Ino heard her cross the small room and pick up a robe to wear over her small frame.

"Good morning, Hinata," Ino replied, turning back to look at the smiling Priestess. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"I finished my journey last night," Hinata hummed, her pale eyes shimmering with what Ino could only assume to be magic... The pale girl turned to look out her window, facing East towards the rising sun. "Do you remember what I told you about my journey so far..?"

Ino remembered. The first night Ino had spent up in this tower she had kept the fires blazing and the aromas thick in the air; the priestess hadn't shifted once in her sleep, and the blond had assumed that the girl had had a dreamless rest. But when the priestess awoke, she told Ino of the start of her journey, of a fellowship that banded to travel to a far off place that her heart remembered but her mind couldn't see.

"I do," Ino nodded, stepping up behind Hinata to look over the girl's shoulder. _She always greets the sun in the morning. _"Where did you end up?"

"A forbidden place," Hinata sang, her voice inciting the last of the birds to sing as well. "A place that only a few even dream about."

"You dreamed about it," Ino pointed out.

"So I did," Hinata agreed, resting her hands on the window sill as she sighed. After a moment she smiled again. "Can you see the forest today, Ino-san?"

The blond frowned, looking far into the distance; Hinata always asked her if she could see this 'forest'. _Is she hallucinating..? Or is this a priestess thing? _But the only things Ino could see in the distance were hills and hills and more hills, all that resided beyond the walls of the village. The farthest thing that Ino could see on the horizon were the dim outlines of mountains that she had only ever witnessed at sunrise. "I see no forest, Hinata."

Hinata sighed, but didn't pursue farther as she turned to look at Ino again. "And what shall I be wearing today, Ino-san?"

"Silver, I thought," Ino told her happily, glad to be away from the uncomfortable notion of Hinata seeing things that weren't there... she didn't mind the magic that people spun tales about, but what wasn't there couldn't be there. _Right? _

Hinata pursed her lips and shook her head. "Today seems more... orange."

"Orange?" Ino frowned, a wrinkle marring her brow as she tried to think of a reason why the pale priestess would want to wear orange... _well... it wouldn't look **bad** on her, I suppose... it might bring out some colour in her cheeks. But she doesn't have any orange. _"Are you sure?"

Hinata nodded, taking the few steps to her wardrobe and ruffling through; she put her hands on a plain white dress and pulled it out with a flourish... but Ino's eyes must've played tricks on her, because in Hinata's hands, as she held the garment in front of her and looked at herself in her mirror, was orange._ How did that happen? _"Yes," Hinata nodded again. "Today is orange."

"A-alright..." Ino nodded, darting forwards to help Hinata dress, as a good maid should. As usual, Hinata ignored the helping hands and dressed herself.

"And today we shall eat in the kitchens," Hinata finished.

Ino blinked, grabbing the translucent robe Hinata wore everyday, that signified that she was the High Priestess. _We? Is she talking about Shino? Now is my turn to sleep. _"Of course, Hinata."

The priestess paused in her dressing to cast Ino a knowing look over her shoulder. Her pale eyes were twinkling in a smile. "I do mean you too, Ino-san."

"Aa," Ino nodded, casting a look to Hinata's comfortable bed that she was permitted to sleep in during the morning hours. "Of course, Hinata..."

A knock at the door told of Shino's arrival to escort Hinata to breakfast, and the Priestess danced on silent feet to leave with her guardian. Ino followed at a slower pace, patting down her hair as she tried to breathe normally. _I've been in this tower all week, _she thought to herself, trying to shake off the nervous feeling knotting in her stomach. All week she had been up there, out of the way... not seeing Shika. _Coming down once in awhile is a good thing. And maybe I'll get to see Lord Sasuke?_ But even her forced positive thoughts didn't quench the feeling in her gut. The air was almost too thick to breathe, and became thicker with every step down the tower.

Ino forced a smile on her face as Hinata looked up at her, and wished desperately for a moment that she knew magic... then she could just make herself invisible.


	20. How to Make Oneself Invisible

**How to Make Oneself Invisible**

The kitchens were just how she remembered them: busy, bustling, and full of food. Chouji stood behind the kitchen table, his back turned towards the door that Ino entered behind Hinata and Shino. The Priestess and her Guardian sat down as Ino stood just inside the doorway, smiling at the back of the large knight... _First I came to this castle and found that I was missing people like Kiba and my father... and now I've spent a week up in that tower, and I find that I'm missing Chouji, too._

"Ohayou, Chouji-kun," Hinata greeted pleasantly from her seat, catching the knight's attention; he jumped, fumbling with the bowl in his hands as he turned to greet the guests to his kitchens.

"Good morning Hinata!" He responded cheerily, a smile spreading across his face as easily as when the food lover spread jam across his toast. Chouji was just about to greet Shino as well when he looked up, noticing Ino; he froze for a moment, and Ino frowned at his reaction. _Isn't he happy to see me? _He smiled after the initial awkwardness passed, the twinkle returning to his eyes. "And good morning to you too, Ino!" He called to her, a little too loudly. "I haven't seen you in awhile... has Hinata been being nice to you up in that tower?"

"It can be a little lonely," Ino teased, glancing at Hinata for a moment as she walked forwards; instead of sitting down she walked around the table, and gave Chouji a hug. "It's good to see you again, Chouji..."

"It's only been a week," he chuckled. "But you look tired... maybe you should go to bed?"

"Trying to get rid of me?" Ino pulled away with a pout. "I thought we were friends?"

"He just doesn't want to get caught up in the rumours," Hinata giggled, drawing Ino's attention across the table. The blonde couldn't help but notice that the kitchen looked different from this side. _Maybe thats why Chouji is always down here? _She had a clear view of the corridor outside the doorway, and if she listened carefully she could almost hear the far away noises from the main rooms down the hall... _Because if he wants to, he could tell what was happening close by just by listening..? _

Ino blinked, Hinata's words entering her mind. "Rumours?" She glanced up at Chouji, who was avoiding her eyes. "What rumours?"

"Oh... you know... just this and that," he shrugged.

She sent him a glare before turning to look at Hinata again; the priestess shrugged, so Ino tried her has hope. "Shino, do you know anything about these rumours?"

The boy stayed silent as Ino stared into the depths of his hood, banishing the imagines of him shirtless from her mind. It had been becoming slowly more and more evident, with every witnessed brush of the shoulder in the morning and hushed goodnight at dusk, that Chouji was right about the priestess and her guardian... but Ino didn't want to think about the complications of their relationship, much less get herself involved in it.

At a length, he finally spoke. "The Lady Temari has been spreading tales of your undesirable nature."

"Which I'm sure none of it is true!" Chouji interrupted before Ino could respond. The blond stood there, her blood slowly seething. _I hate that woman! _"I mean... she's just jealous and making up stories about how you're a tramp only here to sleep your way through the castle-" Ino looked at him with a new fire in her eyes and he whimpered, his words cutting off.

"And you think that a rumour is going to start about us?" Ino stated slowly. _I'm going to kill her. _

"I... well..."

"He is Lord Shikamaru's best friend," Hinata pointed out. Ino turned to the priestess once more, ignoring Chouji's sigh of relief of being taken out of the spotlight. "Seeing you with him, especially hugging him, could make it seem like you're trying to split them up by creating a romantic situation with both of them."

She wanted to strangle some one. Instead she turned to look at Chouji with a bittersweet smile. "And did you think to mention to anyone that for a rumour like that to be true, I would have to be in a romantic situation with Lord Shikamaru..?"

Chouji was shaking now, and still hadn't met her eyes. In fact, he was slowly inching away from her. "Well... you kind've _are _in a romantic situation with him..."

"_What?_" Everyone in the kitchen stopped what they were doing to look at her, casting the entire room into an eerie silence. Ino cast the servants in the room a glare and many of them jumped back to work as if they weren't desperately trying to overhear what was being said. _It's being in this room that's creating rumours... so many people to skew the truth! _Taking long deep breaths, she tried to calm herself down. _But seriously Chouji... me and Shika? Where the hell did he get that from! _"Chouji," she forced a smile. "What would give you the idea that I would associate myself with that... that... immature idiot, in a romantic way?"

"I... well..." slowly Chouji turned, a sheepish look on his face as he raised his hand to scratch at the back of his neck. "Well, Sakura kind of told everyone about when she walked in on you and him in the tailor shop..." Ino felt her cheeks colour, but the cook wasn't done. "And then there's the fact that he _did_ come back for you... even if Shikamaru comes up with a million excuses, he wouldn't come back for just anyone."

"He came back because he promised my father!" Ino pointed out.

Chouji ignored her. "And that necklace," he pointed with a nervous hand to the pendant that still hung around her neck. "That... that belonged to his mom. When Temari saw that you were wearing it at the party she well..." he glanced away for a moment as he thought of an appropriate word, before he looked back, "freaked out at everyone. Apparently she was hoping that Shikamaru would give it to her as a wedding present."

_Wedding present? _She tried to force her blush to stop growing, but knew that she was failing. _Well, no wonder she started to spread rumours... _

"And he put you up in the tower," Chouji ended.

Those last words stopped Ino's embarrassment. _Him putting me in a tower is his proof that I'm in a romantic situation with Shika?_ "What?"

"He put you up in the tower," Hinata agreed, and Ino turned to the priestess in disbelief. Hinata giggled, before she started to explain. "You're a commoner Ino... and as much as Lord Shikamaru would like nothing else other than to be a simpleton himself, to live without responsibilities and worries, well... he can't. And because of that he can't be with a commoner. Being with you would be dragging you into a highly politically demanding life, where you wouldn't be accepted and would never be treated as anything other than... well, a poor person."

"No," she crossed her arms childishly, not willing to listen to what they were saying. "I find it impossible to believe that someone could be _that_ selfish. I mean, look at Shino!" She cast her arms out and gestured to the hooded boy; Shino jumped slightly at his name, not expecting to be singled out in the conversation. "He obviously loves you and yet he stays with you even if you can't be together!" Hinata blushed prettily, looking away. "He stays, probably waiting for something that might never happen; _that's_ a romantic situation!" Huffing, Ino crossed her arms again. "That _bum_ doesn't feel that way for me, so it's not a romantic situation."

Ino was sure that there were many straining ears trying to catch every word of the conversation, but when she turned around everyone in the kitchens were working as normal. Chouji stood there, trying to think. "So, what does everyone want for breakfast..?" He asked, trying to break the tension in the air.

"Aa..." Hinata spoke softly. "Um, j-just toast, onegai..."

Shino didn't respond.

"And for you Ino?" Chouji asked the blonde with a smile, obviously trying to deter her from continuing the previous conversation.

"I'm not hungry, thanks," she told him primly, turning her gaze away from him sharply.

"Oh." She saw him gesture to some servants from the corner of her eye, and within moments someone appeared with a plate of toast for Hinata and an apple for Shino. _But Shino didn't ask for anything. _"Well... did Hinata ask you to come down to come to court then?"

"Court?" She resisted the urge to look at the cook questionably, steeling her eyes towards the doorway.

"Yeah, Lord Sasuke is having court this morning," Chouji chatted happily, glad to be on a different subject. "It's because he's leaving tomorrow... so he's holding court to give everyone their duties and responsibilities while he is gone, and to answer any last questions from the court members or the people of the village."

"Lord Sasuke is leaving?" Ino yelled, turning to look at Chouji once again as she dropped her arms to her sides. _But I haven't been able to talk to him since the first night I was here! _"Why is he leaving..?"

Chouji opened his mouth to answer, but before he could another voice interrupted... "Chouji!" The voice called from outside the kitchens, just outside in the corridor; Ino saw familiar dirty blond locks and a very busty figure for just a moment before she felt something close around one of her wrists. She caught the briefest of glimpses of Temari's face before whatever had grabbed her wrist tugged harshly on her arm and pulled her underneath the table.

And very suddenly, Ino found herself sitting in Lord Shikamaru's lap.

"Stay quite," he hissed, putting his other hand over her mouth for good measure. "If she catches _either _of us, no one will hear the end of it!"


	21. An Angry Chef

**An Angry Chef  
**

Hinata watched as Ino disappeared under the table with a smile before she turned; for a moment she caught Shino's eye, but the contact was broken when the priestess turned to look at Temari. The dirty blond paused at the doorway when she noticed Hinata, but with a roll of her eyes she ignored the priestess and looked up at Chouji. _She's just as pleasant as always._

"Chouji," she brushed out her skirts needlessly. "Have you seen Shikamaru..? He's supposed to escort me to court today."

"I'm sorry Temari," Hinata heard Chouji's smile, could almost see it. "I haven't seen Shikamaru since he came down for his pancakes almost... I think an hour ago." The priestess stifled her giggle. _And he didn't even lie. _"Would you like some breakfast before court?"

"Hmphf." She jutted her chin out as she turned her head. "I'm watching my weight, thank you very much," casting a glance towards Hinata, the dirty blonde sighed. "Lord Sasuke wishes to see you, and that cousin of yours is over-reacting again."

"Well then," Hinata rose from her seat gracefully, straightening her own skirts with a simple flick of her wrists before she turned to Shino. Ino's words came to mind immediately, causing her to blush as she looked at her guardian. "Shino? Shall we go?"

He nodded, raising from his seat just as gracefully as she had and gently putting his had on her shoulder to turn her towards the door. A shiver crept down her spin as Shino let his hand brush down her back. She was about to take her a step towards the corridor when she felt him lean forwards, his chest just brushing against her arm as he tilted his head to whisper in her ear... "She's right you know."

Her blush deepened as she started moving, stepping past Temari with a pleasant smile. _Yes Shino, I know._

_

* * *

Doki. Doki. Doki. Doki._

Her heart was pounding as she fought not to move, but she desperately wanted to push away. Or to get closer, she wasn't sure. _Why do I feel this way? _Her vision seemed slightly fuzzy around the edges... then again, her blue eyes were locked with Lord Shikamaru's dark orbs, and all her other senses were acutely tuned to the points between them that they were touching: his bent leg brushing against her hip; her knees on either side of his right thigh; his left hand around her wrist and his right covering her mouth.

"They're gone," Chouji's voice caught both of their attentions, and at the same time they glanced up and out from under the table. Both of them saw Chouji's knees, angled to suggest that the large knight was leaning against the table. "Damn it Shikamaru, no more hiding underneath my table... lying to Temari is like sticking your head into a lion's mouth and hoping that it isn't hungry."

"Sorry," Shikamaru's voice was light, catching in Ino's ears and bringing back memories of an early morning in front of the fire and chaste kisses... He let go of Ino's wrist, his hand touching her hip before he moved his fingers away from her mouth. "We should probably get out from under h-"

"Why are you here?" She was reluctant to get up. _He'll just dodge my questions if I let him move, _she reasoned.

He stared at her skeptically, moving to try to push her off. "That's not important."

"Yes it is!" She insisted, grabbing his shoulders and refusing to budge. "Why were you under here? Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?"

"Obviously I was under here _just_ to eavesdrop on you," he rolled his eyes. "Look, let me up or I'll have to force you."

"Answer my question!" She demanded.

"Why should I?" Shikamaru snarled at her. "It's none of your business what I do with my time!"

"Well you-"

"Both of you shut up!" Chouji's voice boomed louder than both of theirs, and the two of them froze. Before they could comprehend what was happening the table above them was lifted and pushed up on it's end; Ino jumped slightly at the sound of dishes crashing on the floor, before a large hand grabbed her shoulder and lifted her up and off of Shikamaru. He put her down several steps away from the still sitting lord, and took turns sending glares to both of them. "I can't believe you two."

Shikamaru raised a hand to point at Ino accusingly. "She start-"

"I don't care who started it!" Chouji roared. "You," he looked at Ino. "He's hiding from Lady Temari. And you," he looked at Shikamaru. "It's important because you're a bloody idiot who's screwing with her life!"

"I'm not-"

"Yes you are!" Chouji interrupted Shikamaru again. "You're a genius, Shikamaru, no one will deny you that... but when it comes to girls your pretty damn stupid."

The three of them were cast in silence, Ino cautiously looking between the meek looking Shikamaru and the irate Chouji. _They're both acting out of character... _Chouji met her eyes for a moment before turning towards the staring servants and ordering them all to get back to work. Shikamaru stood up as he stared at his friend. "I'm sorry Chouji."

"You'd better be," the cook muttered, though he sounded a lot less angry now. "You come in here, hide in my kitchen... not to mention that you practically beg for all the stories that are going to come from you dragging a commoner underneath a table." Ino was smart enough not to comment. _I don't want him to yell again... he's rather intimidating. _"Now both of you get out of here. I have a kitchen to clean up, and you have court to be to."

Shikamaru sighed, looking around the kitchens briefly before met Ino's eyes again. "You'd better come to court with me."

"Why should I?" Ino asked, crossing her arms as she sent the Lord a glare.

"Because," he ignored her glare and nodded towards Chouji. Ino glanced towards the cook, only to see that he was tense and staring at them both. _... I really don't want to argue with Shika in front of him... do I? _"If you come to court with me, I won't have to escort Temari."

Ino blinked, looking back at Shikamaru. A tingly feeling was bubbling in her stomach at the notion of the dark eyed teen taking her to court with him. _He's only doing this to avoid Temari, _she told herself. And she wouldn't deny that the idea of annoying the busty woman appealed to her interests. "Alright."

"Alright?" Shikamaru frowned. "Just like that? You want to go to court with me?"

"No," she rolled her eyes even as her heart jumped at his words. "I want to get back at Temari."

"Whatever you want to do," Chouji stepped between them and pointed towards the doorway. "Both of you, get out."


	22. Welcome to Court

**Welcome to Court  
**

"Here," Shikamaru motioned for her to stop once they were outside the throne room; he could hear the voices of people inside. _I guess that explains why we didn't run into anyone. _"I should explain courtroom behavior before we go in." Ino nodded in agreement, looking up at him silently. She hadn't spoken a word since they had left the kitchens. "Basically... figure out where Shino is, and once I get called forwards go over to him and wait. And whatever you do don't say anything."

"Why can't I say anything?" She piped up immediately, breaking her reign of silence.

He took a long, deep breath, delaying answering her in favour of looking around and calming down. _It would be no use getting mad now, after upsetting Chouji. _The walls around them were covered with tapestries, some dictating the wars the previous kings and queens fought in, while others played out the scenes of mythic faery tales and the stories old wives told to their grandkids. "Because people will realize that there's a commoner standing with the courtiers and some sort of argument will break out," Shikamaru gritted out at a length.

"And what if I get called forwards?" She asked next. _Why is she so troublesome?_

"You won't get called forwards."

"But what if you do?"

"You won't," he insisted, before holding his arm out for her to take. "Now come along."

She looked at his arm inquisitively before looking back up at him. "Why are you handing me your arm..? And _what if I do?" _

_Does she take lessons in being annoying? _"You won't." Shikamaru repeated. "And because if I'm escorting you to court, I have to _actually _escort you."

"Just telll me what I do in case I _do _get called forwards," she repeated herself stubbornly, bracing her hands on her hips.

"Fine," he let out a frustrated sigh as he grabbed her hand and put it into the crook of his arm. "If you get called forwards, go to the centre of the room, walk towards the throne, bow, and _politely _ask what you are being called for. Okay?"

"Alright," she nodded, her hand shifting on his arm as she turned towards the door; he heard her take a deep breath, and he turned towards the door as well. _This is by far one of the most impulsive things that I've ever done. _He looked at the blond carefully out of the corner of his eye. _Then again, it seems like I've been doing more things impulsively since I've met her. _

"Are you ready?" He asked as he took his first step forwards. She stepped along side him, squeezing his arm tighter as he pushed the door open with his free hand. Like drawing back curtains to see the bright morning sun, Shikamaru looked into the courtroom full of people with a flinch. Everyone turned to look at them. _Why does everyone have to stare?_

And sitting in his throne, as if waiting for him to arrive, was Lord Sasuke.

* * *

Everyone quieted down as Ino stepped into the room with Lord Shikamaru. _They're doing this out of respect for him, _she told herself sternly, but she couldn't help her feeling of excitement.

Lord Sasuke's eyes were on them, like a hawk eyeing a mouse. He commanded his courtroom with a steely silence, and seeing him sitting up on his throne strengthened her wedding fantasy... and they were still walking towards him, the crowd parting around them both. With every step Ino was closer to her beloved. _Maybe I will get to speak to him again before he leaves?_

Suddenly Shikamaru stopped, pulling Ino to a stand still. He made a curt bow, and the blond copied him. "Good morning, Lord Sasuke," Shikamaru said loudly, as soon as he was standing straight again. Ino breathlessly looked back up to her beloved Sasuke: his eyes were turning red. _Red, just like that night at dinner... _"And best wishes on your journey. May the stars shine brightly on your path, and may the clouds never skew your judgement."

And then Shikamaru moved again, pulling Ino alongside him so that they stood within the crowd. _Stop! I can't see Lord Sasuke properly anymore! _She made to pull away, to walk back out into the middle of courtroom, put Shikamaru held fast onto her hand until they had settled into their own little area. "Sto-" she started to say.

"Keep quiet," Shikamaru hissed at her. "And just listen."

With a huff Ino turned to look at the rest of the court; she caught Lady Temari glaring at her from across the room, and noticed Hinata and Shino standing beside each other closer up towards the throne. _Good. Once Shika leaves me alone I'll be able to go closer. _Just as she was going to send another glare towards the Lord beside her, her beloved Lord Sasuke spoke.

"Hyuuga Hinata, come forwards." His voice boomed over everyone's heads and made Ino's heart flutter. She looked as Hinata stepped through the bodies around her and into the centre of the room. The priestess dropped to her knees, placing her palms on the floor as she pressed her forehead to the back of her hands, bowing to the Lord Sasuke in a manner that Ino had never seen before. _She's a foreigner though... she must have some strange customs, other than speaking in another language. _Lord Sasuke didn't seem perturbed. "And how do you see my journey going, Priestess?"

"As always, my Lord," Hinata spoke clearly, her lofty voice playing at the strings of hearts as she sat up onto her ankles, "I can only simply tell you that with your limited knowledge of where you are going, you are unlikely to find what you seek."

"I do not ask for your opinion, Priestess," Lord Sasuke barked out harshly. _She didn't answer his question, _Ino thought as she frowned, trying to ignore the Lord's tone. "I ask of you what the gods see for me and my soldiers when we depart."

"I see nothing but safe lives and happy families," Hinata answered. Shikamaru snorted from his place beside Ino, and she looked at him quizzically. _Isn't that a good thing? _

"You are dismissed," Lord Sasuke's voice wasn't joyful, wasn't happy to know that his men would be safe. _Why not? Doesn't he care? _Ino shook her head. _Of course he cares. He just has more important worries to think about. _Hinata stood up graciously and returned to her place, and the court commenced. Lord Sasuke called forwards many other people, including many courtiers that Ino had slowly come to recognize. Sakura came forwards to tell Lord Sasuke about the medical supplies that would be going with them, and was told to collect taxes in the coming months. Neji was callled forwards for a moment to say how the troops were ready, and then was dismissed to finish the last minute preparations with the soldiers. Shino was even called forwards, and him and Lord Sasuke discussed something about migrating beetles and the changing of seasons that Ino supposed was relevant for one reason or another, though she didn't really understand how.

And finally, when Ino was just getting bored, the last person walked away from the middle of the court and the room was cast into silence. The air hung around the room like a gloomy winter night, and the blond leaned forwards slightly to get a better look at Lord Sasuke. "Lord Shikamaru," Lord Sasuke said, his voice just that fraction of a degree louder than it had been before. Ino blinked, hearing the note of seriousness as Shikamaru walked forwards. _They said something about him being a strategist... but he can't be that important._

But it must've been important, because Shikamaru was the only person that Ino didn't see bow. He stood there, his arms clasped behind his back as he looked up at Lord Sasuke, his face blank. "You summoned me, Lord Sasuke?" Ino could feel the tension in the room, as if everyone was holding their breath.

Lord Sasuke stood up. "Will you tell me where to go, Shikamaru?"

"I have sworn never to tell you, my Lord," Shikamaru told him simply. Briefly Ino thought about how she was supposed to be finding Shino now, and how she was supposed to be walking to the mysterious teen's side. Instead she crept forwards through the motionless courtiers, until no one obstructed her view of the two lords. _Lord Sasuke's eyes are still red... _"Do you have a question that I can answer?"

Lord Sasuke took a step towards Shikamaru, and Ino frowned. _Why isn't Shika being respectful, like everyone else? _"Tell me where to go, Shikamaru."

"I won't."

They stared at each other, each waiting for the other to crack, to break. Ino bit her lip, feeling nervous as she looked at the two dark haired boys, just barely men. _Why do they look like they hate each other..? If they hated each other, why would Lord Sasuke put so much effort into trying to bring Shika back to the castle? _"Why won't you tell me, Shikamaru?"

"Because telling you could mean that everything that has been risked, means nothing." _Everything risked..? What was risked?_

"I don't care!" Lord Sasuke's yell caused everyone to jump. Everyone but Shikamaru. The enraged teen took several deep breathes before looking away from Shikamaru. "Well then, Shikamaru, even if you do not tell me I will continue looking."

"I know," Shikamaru answered him. "I don't need to be able to see the truth to know that."

Lord Sasuke looked back up, steeling his shoulders as he looked at Shikamaru. "As of tomorrow morning, when I leave with my soldiers, you will once again be in command of the throne."

Shikamaru took a step back as he finally took his bow. "Of course, my Lord."


	23. Lord Sasuke's Eyes

**Lord Sasuke`s Eyes**

There was a collective sigh of relief as Lord Sasuke returned to his throne. Shikamaru followed, taking no notice of the people around him, and stood to Lord Sasuke`s right. Ino could only stare. _Shika is in command of the throne? That oaf? The village will be in ruins! _Her body was frozen where she stood, and her mind refused to believe what she had just heard. _Surely there is some mistake..._

"Does anyone wish to come forwards for any reason?" Lord Sasuke called, snapping Ino back to reality. For a moment she considered stepping forwards and asking what was wrong with him, why would _anyone_ put Shikamaru on the throne? But etiquette stopped her, and she turned quietly to start walking to where Shino stood.

Ino could see movement out of the corner of her eye, and guessed that she was about to endure another boring length of time, filled with people making claims and accusations and worries. _Hmphf. Maybe someone will accuse that bum of not being good enough... _But no one would come forwards to question about Lord Shikamaru. Instead, a voice called out "I wish to expel the commoner from the castle!"

Again Ino froze in her spot, not a quarter of the way towards where Shino stood. She turned back to the middle of the court, only to see Lady Temari standing there. The dirty blond stared up at the Lords Sasuke and Shikamaru vehemently, and again the room grew tense. Ino frowned, noticing people turning their heads to glance at her. _I hate you, Temari._

"On what boundaries do you make your request?" Lord Sasuke's voice was a reservoir of calm that soothed Ino's nerves. _He'll make sure that I don't leave. _

"Have you not heard the tales, Lord Sasuke?" Lady Temari asked, throwing her hands about theatrically as she spoke. "She only came here because of her infatuation with you, and since then she has been fraternizing with Lord Shikamaru and Sir Chouji and even-"

"Quiet," Lord Sasuke commanded easily, making Ino's heart leap. _He's defending me! _Ino crept forwards again, and looked up to see what Lord Sasuke was doing... but she caught Shikamaru staring at her. Involuntarily she found herself drawn into his dark eyes, wanting to know what he was thinking. Then Lord Sasuke broke the silence. "You're annoyed because there is a girl here who threatens your standing..?"

"She doesn't threaten my standing!" Temari replied, balling her hands into fists.

Lord Sasuke looked down at her from his throne, before shaking his head. "We'll see then... Ino Yamanaka, come forwards."

* * *

Shikamaru was sure that he heard the entire room gasp, but he ignored it. He simply watched carefully with bated breath as Ino slowly walked forwards, taking a stand next to Temari and bowing as she asked "how may I be of service, my Lord?" Her poise was perfect, as if she were born walking on clouds. _People really could mistake her for another courtier if they didn't know better._

Standing side by side, Shikamaru couldn't help but compare the two blondes.

Temari was just slightly taller, her chin held high in confidence. The foreigner tended to wear exotic hair styles that involved too many twists and ties for Shikamaru's mind to contemplate, and her clothes were often form fitting with low neck lines. To say that she was unique was an understatement.

But Ino... she stood with her eyes downcast respectfully, though her shoulders were set with a quiet determination. She kept her hands held together in front of her, even as her feet were parted in a ready stance. She looked nervous, and yet uncannily calm standing in front of the throne. _She's like a paradox, _Shikamaru thought, his eyes tracing the lines of her neck, observing the way her long hair was pulled back into a pony tail. _A commoner with the grace of a courtier._

"Ino Yamanaka," Sasuke spoke. Shikamaru frowned when he noticed her excited smile. _As always, **Lord **Sasuke, you are attracting all of the attention. _"Why are you here?"

"I'm here because you want me to be here, My Lord," she said sweetly. Shikamaru rolled his eyes as he looked at Sasuke; he was frowning, a wrinkle between his brows showing his distaste. Shikamaru watched as Sasuke shut his black eyes for just a moment, and when he reopened them they were red.

_The sight of truth, _Shikamaru thought. _The ability to see the truth, and only the truth... _He looked back at Ino and Lady Temari with a shake of his head. _Anyone who looks into his eyes feel compelled to speak their mind, to speak the truth, even if they don't realize what they are saying **is** the truth. _He thought back, briefly, to that day so many years ago, when Sasuke had been a young boy and had first used this gift of his... only to find out that his parents had been killed. Only to find out that he would become the new ruler of the country.

"Tell me," Shikamaru heard the hypnotic lilt in Sasuke's voice, and watched as Ino raised her head. _Why must you fall for his tricks? _"The real reason why you are here."

"Lady Sakura brought me here," Ino responded immediately, and Shikamaru smiled.

"No other reason?" Sasuke prompted.

"Because I want to be near you," she continued; her eyes went wide once she realized what she had said, and she clamped her hands over her mouth.

"I see," Sasuke chuckled, before turning his eyes onto Temari. "And why are you here?"

"To marry Shikamaru," Temari responded immediately. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. _Troublesome woman._

"And do you honestly think you'll be able to do that?" Everyone could hear the sarcasm in his voice, and a few smiles were shared around the courtroom. Temari opened her mouth to answer, but caught the words in her throat before she said them. _Is that doubt?_

"I see," Sasuke looked back to Ino. "And do you also have feelings for Shikamaru?"

"Yes," Shikamaru stopped at her breathless tone of voice, watching her hands slip from her face.

"And do you have feelings for Sir Chouji?"

"No," Ino frowned, her lips pouting. "Chouji and I are only friends."

"And do you have feelings for anyone else in the castle?"

"No."

Sasuke stopped, looking between the two women before casting Shikamaru a knowing look. Shikamaru looked back, watching as the Lord's eyes faded back to black. It was a tell tale look, plainly asking 'why would you want the attentions of two crazy girls?' Shikamaru shook his head with a shrug. _I don't._ "Well then," Sasuke's gaze lingered for a moment before he turned back to the two blondes. "It seems that this is nothing more than a little bit of jealousy, Lady Temari. You are both dismissed." He looked around the room, promptly ignoring the two women. Shikamaru watched as Ino stumbled towards Shino and Hinata, witnessing the secretive smile the priestess sent the blond. "Does anyone else wish to come forwards?"

No one spoke. Lord Sasuke rose from his throne and left, and Shikamaru had no choice but to follow.


	24. Turn to Winter

**Turn to Winter**

The courtroom was a bustle of activity and sound as the courtiers left, a new juicy bit of gossip already leaving their lips. Hinata smiled at the blushing blond as she stumbled to where the priestess and her guardian stood, the wings of elation brushing like butterflies in her stomach as her eyes saw a thread of fate lock into place. _Even if you think that this was embarrassing Ino-chan, it was meant to be. _

"I can't believe I said that!" Ino gasped, her tired eyes begging for an explanation.

"It must've been subconscious," Hinata suggested, turning slowly to share her smile with Shino... she jumped slightly, noticing how close he stood to her, and blushed as she remembered the conversation from the kitchens earlier. "Shino-kun, would you take Ino-chan back up to bed..?"

"But I don't have feelings for that idiot!" Ino insisted even as Shino stepped towards her, taking her arm with his strong hand; she pulled away from his touch, refusing to move until her point had been heard. "I like Lord Sasuke!"

"You cannot lie to Lord Sasuke," Hinata told her easily. "You will always tell him the truth, even if you don't realize it."

"But... but..." the blond girl looked away, desperately searching for an answer.

"Don't dwell on it too much right now, Ino-chan," Hinata tried to comfort her with her words, tried to coax her into going up to bed... but her words didn't reach the blond, didn't calm her down at all. With a sigh Hinata looked up to Shino; her guardian nodded, and with a quick movement swept Ino up into his arms. The blond protested loudly, but couldn't struggle free from Shino's arms. With an awkward bow, Shino left the courtroom.

_You're more important than anyone realizes, Ino-chan, _Hinata thought, watching them leave with fond eyes. _Possibly more important than **I **even realize._

* * *

It never ceased to amaze him how silently Shikamaru would move, how perfectly he would blend into the shadows. The young man had planned the attacks of countless battles, had foreseen the movements of the seasons with no help from the gods, and could track a sparrow in the black of night. Truly talented, were the words people had used to describe Shikamaru as a child. A tool, is how Sasuke saw him.

The two young men walked through the tall doors of Sasuke's lavish room, Shikamaru's even steps staying in perfect stride with Sasuke's hurried pace. Immediately Sasuke crossed the room, pulling the heavy drapes shut; out of habit Shikamaru moved to the desk to light a candle. "Do you wish to go over your plans once more before you leave?"

Sasuke turned to study him carefully. His entire body spoke volumes of the calm he felt: the set of his shoulders, the easy way his fingers moved over the flint, or the quiet movement of his lips as he spoke to his Lord. Sasuke shook his head slowly, his dark eyes casting about the rest of the room. "Aren't you worried about those girls fawning over you?"

"Have I ever worried about girls fawning over me?" was Shikamaru's gruff response.

"These girls are different," Sasuke responded. _These girls honestly have feelings for you._

"They're so different from Sakura?" Shikamaru finished lighting his candles, and turned to look at him. "Or from any of the others?"

"Yes."

He thought the answer would've startled Shikamaru, eliciting one form of emotion or another. Anger, maybe confusion. So he was surprised when Shikamaru turned to him, a brow raised in a silent question and the calm still deeply set in his bones. "She came here because of you Sasuke; even if she has feelings for me, she would have to acknowledge them for it to be of any concern to me."

"And Temari?"

"Her brothers have already made it perfectly clear that if I do anything to hurt her, I would be dead," he watched, his eyes travelling over the shifting folds of Shikamaru's tunic as the young man shrugged. "It's too troublesome to go after a girl who has a death threat attached to her."

_So very much like you, Shikamaru, _Sasuke thought. _Always taking the easy way out. _He crossed the room quietly, the colours shifting before his very eyes in a familiar sensation. He knew his eyes were turning red, could see it in Shikamaru's questioning features, in the way the young man stiffened ever so slightly as Sasuke walked towards him. _Always looking for the peaceful solution. _Shikamaru stepped back against the desk as Sasuke came closer, and the young Lord felt a distinct smugness at having the strategist trapped... but Shikamaru didn't shy away as Sasuke stepped in front of him, taking his arms into a harsh hold. He didn't even have the decency to look scared, or even concerned. _Always meddling._

"I'll never forgive you," Sasuke hissed aloud.

"I know," was Shikamaru's simple reply.

It made Sasuke's blood boil. Digging his fingers into Shikamaru's arms he squeeze as hard as he could, waiting for the young man to flinch, "I'll never forgive you, for that time, almost 11 years ago now..." Shikamaru didn't flinch, only met Sasuke's eyes with his own black ones. "And it _infuriates _me to know that you are the _only _person who can help me..." Shikamaru gave a small nod, his only sign of response.

With a sound akin to a growl Sasuke pushed him away, feeling a sick satisfaction from hearing the desk move with the force Shikamaru was pushed into it. He turned away, moving through his dark room and falling into his bed without a thought.

After a moment, he heard Shikamaru move out of his room, purposely making that slight bit of noise to tell Sasuke that he was leaving. The Lord scowled into his pillow, before reminding himself that Shikamaru was simply a tool for his plans. A valuable tool, but still only a tool.

* * *

The next morning, just before the break of dawn, Lord Sasuke and a battilion of men marched out of the village gates and off into the hills. Ino knew, because Hinata had stirred awake and floated to her window. The priestess had muttered something in a language that Ino could not recognize, before turning to Ino with a knowing smile and bidding herself back to her last few minutes of sleep before the sun rose.

Shino would later come to collect the priestess, leaving Ino to her sleep... and her days returned to a semblance of normalcy. The days she slept turned into the nights she was awake, sewing a dress or writing a letter to her father. Shino would bring her dinner and a midnight lunch, and would sometimes keep her company in the doorway for an hour or so, telling her of the daily activities of the court.

Lady Temari's youngest brother, Lord Gaara, had left to go back to his country. Lady Temari's oldest brother, Sir Kankuro, had taken a liking to Lady Sakura. Chouji got into a fight with some of the courtiers and Shikamaru threw them out of the castle. Her father came every once in awhile, hoping to catch a glimpse of his daughter... she clung onto every detailing, sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, forever knowing that life was progressing without her.

One day, after Hinata had dressed for the morning and was turning to leave, Shino presenting her with a beautiful cloak; black, with green ribbing and lined with silver wolf fur.

"What is this for, Shino?" Ino asked, recognizing the cloak immediately; if someone had spent as much time on that cloak in one night as she had, they would recognize it easily, too.

"Lord Shikamaru wanted it sent up to you," was Shino's reply. "The days grow shorter, and already we have starting seeing dusting of snow at night... it's early this year."

"Snow..?" She was confused, and turned to look out the window as Hinata and Shino left, barely listening to their goodbyes. The dusting of snow Shino spoke of had already melted, leaving no trace of it's existence. But, as she moved to lean out the window, taking a deep breathe, the air had a cool crisp to it, speaking volumes about the time of year it was...

_Have I been here that long? _Ino asked herself as she climbed into bed. _So long now, that I do not notice the turn of seasons? _She settled herself into the plush bed, pulling Shikamaru's cloak over her shoulders in anticipation of the cool day's air. _Have I grown so used to this place, that counting the days no longer mean anything?_

But that didn't matter anymore. The blond drifted into her dream land peacefully, no longer wondering about her ignorance of the days of the year, and below her more important things were happening, things she could only, at that time, hear second hand... and no one could describe the fated moments to come in any way that an unknowing listener could understand. First hand knowledge is the only way to learn how destiny would be making itself known.


	25. A Foreshadow

**A Foreshadow  
**

The door crashed against his wall with a _bang! _but he still didn't look up, just continued to sort through the papers in front of him as someone stormed across his room to stand in front of his desk. Said person slammed her hands against said desk, causing several of his papers to shuffle about in their neat stacks and making his ink bottle rattle in its place, threatening to fall.

"Shikamaru!" An irritated Sakura whined at the non-responsive young man. He grunted out a reply, his eyes scanning the report he had received from one of the farther away villages about the crop yields for the previous seasons. "You have to do something about that... that... that playboy!"

"Of whom do you speak of?" Shikamaru asked, putting the report aside as he dipped his pen into the ink bottle and jotted down a note in the journal in front of him. _Kankuro, no doubt. _

"That buffoon Kankuro, of course!" She squealed, raising her hands in frustration as she turned, her skirts kicking up in the air as she started to pace. "He keeps flirting with me at dinner, and showing up each morning outside of my room to ask me for breakfast!" Shikamaru rolled his eyes, pulling a report on cattle in front of him to read while the ink dried. "And he keeps asking me to escort him back to his country to be his bride!"

Shikamaru sighed, putting his papers down carefully so as to not smear the still-wet ink, and rubbed his forehead tiredly. _Why must I be your confidant..? _"So say yes, and go riding off into the sunset."

"Absolutely not!" She stomped her foot to punctuate her point. Shikamaru rolled his eyes again. "I'm saving myself for someone better than _him_."

"Like Sasuke?"

"Yes," Sakura replied dreamily, moving to sit in the chair in front of Shikamaru's desk, her hands clutched in front of her heart as if it would escape from her chest.

_Typical girl, _Shikamaru thought to himself with a sigh, looking back down towards his notes. He frowned when he noticed a mistake in his notation, and reached out to correct it. "So, tell him no then."

"I have!" the scowl was back in Sakura's voice, and Shikamaru knew that it was a hopeless cause. "But he keeps coming back, insisting that if I just gave him a try I would fall in love with him!"

"So, why don't you 'give him a try', as you so elegantly put it."

"What are you, stupid?" He raised his head slowly, one brow cocked above the other in a silent question. _'You think I'm stupid?' _The pinkette sighed, as if frustrated by a young child. "If I do that, he'll get the wrong idea, and then he's pursue me even _more_."

_And this is why I try to stay out of relationships. _"So what exactly do you think I can do about it..?"

"Throw him out of the castle!" Sakura roared out immediately. "Exile him from the country! Anything!"

Shikamaru frowned, a mar creasing his forehead. "I can't just kick someone out of the castle."

"You did it for Chouji," she pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes," he agreed. "But they weren't the siblings of one of our most valuable allies." Sakura pouted, lapsing into silence with her arms crossed over her chest. And then, as if stricken by the very idea she came up with, she bolted up, her hand in the air- "No." Shikamaru deadpanned.

"You didn't even hear what I said!" She growled.

"I didn't have to," Shikamaru insisted, looking back towards his reports.

"How could you know what I was talking about without listening?"

He sighed, not looking up. "No, I will not pretend to be courting you."

She deflating, collapsing back into her chair with a pout. "How did you know that I was going to say that?"

Letting the silence creep about her words, Shikamaru thought about his answer. _Telling her that she's as transparent as air would be mean... and given that I see her every day, could be dangerous._ "It's because I know you, Sakura." _Wow, that was lame._

"I know, Shikamaru," she sighed, and Shikamaru blinked a few times before looking up at her. _Wait... she bought that? _"I've been here for just over three years now, and honestly... You've been the only constant. It makes sense that you would know me well enough," she sent him a beautiful smile. One that made him nostalgic of a time, years ago, when the two of them had been younger and more naive, and had believed the obscure words of a prophet... and then she scowled, completely ruining the moment. "So what are you going to do about Kankuro?"

"Why do I have to do anything?" he asked bitterly, reaching for the final report he had to look at. _I'm getting hungry... I wonder what Chouji is making for lunch? _

"Because you've been left in charge!" Sakura snapped.

"So..." his mind reeled, trying to focus both on Sakura's problem and on the words in front of him at the same time. "Tell him that you're in a relationship with Neji."

The following silence boggled his mind, but instead of looking up he took the opportunity to quickly finish reading the report. _Nothing important... good. _"N-Neji!"

Sakura's squeak of disbelief caught his attention, and he spared her a look as he stood up to get ready to leave his room. He laughed at the look of horror on her face. "What's wrong with Neji?"

"It's... it's Neji!" She stood up as well, waiting for him to collect the few things he needed before heading towards the door. "He's creepy! And a loner! And he get's upset when he doesn't get what he wants, and-"

"It seems to me like you're describing Sasuke," Shikamaru replied easily, letting Sakura exit the room before him; he pulled the door shut behind himself as he stepped out into the chilly hallway. _Right, it's winter. Must start remembering to take a cloak with me. _

"Sasuke isn't like that!" she defended her Lord honourably, causing Shikamaru to snort. "It's not funny!" she huffed. "Sasuke is cool, and solitary, and-"

"Completely not interested in you," Shikamaru interrupted. "Which, I suppose, is the entire reason that you like him. You want something that you can't have..?"

"Are you talking about that stupid story about the Princess again?" Sakura asked with a frown.

"Maybe."

"I don't believe in faery tales," Sakura snipped at him. "Especially when you refuse to say if it's the truth or not." He shrugged sheepishly, and she crossed her arms in front of her... and then something clicked in her mind. "Are you suggesting that I have more of a chance with Neji than with Sasuke?"

"Something like that."


	26. A Prelude for the King

**A Prelude for the King  
**

The day felt dreamy, as if golden clouds were drifting on silver winds, pleasing the birds with caramelized songs. It made the air almost too thick to breath, and the atmosphere like soup to walk in. Simply walking into the courtroom Hinata felt drenched with magical allure, a shiver making it's way down her spine again and again. _Why is everything so clear today?_

She giggled as she walked, nearly tripping over her own feet. Eyes were on her, were watching her ever movement to deem if she was still sane, or if she had joined the gods that graced her with her gifts. Spinning in place, she let her arms raise up to the level of her shoulders and looked to the heavens... and in her eyes, the cold stone ceiling was not there, but the bright blue afternoon sky.

Drifting to a stop, she fell to her knees and let out a breath. Closing her moon-pale orbs with a smile, she replayed her re-occurring dream.

"Hinata?" A voice called out to her, causing her to snap her eyes open again. Looking up through the golden mist around her, she just barely saw the outline of someone important. His frame was emblazoned with silver shadows and midnight wishes, causing her smile to grow.

"Shikamaru-dono," she whispered sweetly. "The world is alive today... much more so than yesterday."

"Are you okay, Hinata?" Another voice asked, just next to the silver-shadow that was Shikamaru. Hinata frowned for a moment, looking through the powerful aura that Shikamaru emitted to see to the soft petals that floated into her vision.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan," she giggled. "Today has been blessed with truths and fates."

"Are you drunk?" the silver shadow asked her bluntly, causing her to giggle even more. "And where is Shino?"

"I sent him away," Hinata spoke, sobering up slightly. "It's hard to be around him on days like these..." _Because days like these makes it so much harder to wait for him. Makes it so much harder not to just throw away what I must do now, and be happy with him._

"What's wrong, Hinata?" the soft petals came closer, swirling in a gentle breeze that could very well heal the soul. And as they came closer, Sakura's face entered her vision, and became clearer and more distinct in her mind.

"Everything's right today, Sakura-chan," the priestess responded. "Ask me anything, and I may answer, for the world is so very clear... gone are the misleading fronts of reality and back are the truths of dreams."

"I think she's drunk," Sakura agreed, looking back towards the silver shadow. Shikamaru just shrugged.

"She gets like this once in awhile..." he admitted slowly. "But it's been a long time since the last time she went around like this."

"The world has never been this clear before," Hinata sang, turning away from them to look to the east. She looked for where the rolling hills ended and the sea began. To where the water's edge turned to the forest's beginning. To where the foxes played, free from predators. Then she frowned. "Shikamaru-dono... I can't see him."

"That's because you're staring at a wall, Hinata," the silver-shadow behind her said, drawing her attention back to him.

She looked at him with a pout, her world casting itself into shades of blue. The golden clouds turned to azure birds, and the silver wind became crests of sapphire waves. "The world isn't as plain as you think it is, Shikamaru-dono."

"No, but the only way that half this room won't start saying horrible things about you if is we say you're drunk."

"Don't be childish," she chided him, feeling a flame of anger not her own invade her senses. _A remnant of Sasuke, _Hinata mused to herself, feeling the flames burning her birds to hot coals. She took a deep breathe, the sapphire waves cooling the coals into diamonds. "What they think of me doesn't matter."

"Of course it doesn't," the silver shadow stepped forwards as well, and a hand on Hinata's elbow pulled her to a stand. With Sakura on one side and Shikamaru on the other, she was escorted to a table and forced to sit down. "Sakura, could you-"

"Go get something to eat?" The petals in the breeze finished, before turning and leaving.

Hinata watched as yet another thread broke between the two, and sighed. Once she could no longer see the pink-haired Lady's aura, she turned to smile at Shikamaru who had seated himself beside her. "You know, in another life you two would've been perfect for one another."

"We've had this discussion before," Shikamaru replied back at her, his face appearing more natural and less like the silver shadows in her mind.

"But the ties between you were breaking long before she even came here," Hinata sighed again, shaking her head. "Which is a pity, really... but you have stronger ties else where, so that is alright."

"I'm going to start thinking that someone drugged you soon."

"Why are you acting surprised?" Hinata giggled, looking around the room. She could see the memory of two children chasing each other, playing with one another, building ties that would bind them for life. "You know I see the world differently."

"Yes," Shikamaru agreed. "But some days you see it a lot more differently than other days."

"Like today?" Hinata asked, smiling up at the silver shadow.

"Yes Hinata, very much like today."

She paused for a moment, looking between Shikamaru and the slowly fragmenting memory. "Shikamaru?"

"Yes Hinata?"

Smiling sweetly, Hinata said something that caused such a commotion to everyone around them, that anyone who heard her words couldn't help but come closer, to demand to want to know as well... "I want to hear the Princesses story today... so that I can see it, too."

* * *

Chouji had just been putting away the last bits of the mess made by lunch when Sakura came into the kitchens, asking for him to make yet more food... and through he was annoyed by the mess that he had to make, he did so anyways. _Why does winter have to screw up your timing so much, Shikamaru?_ But that had been awhile ago now; now, the two of them (Sakura and Chouji) were walking back into the courtroom, arms laden with food.

"I don't see why we couldn't have gotten one of the servants to bring it up," Sakura complained lightly.

"Because they're working on dinner," Chouji explained.

"But why did we have to bring up so much food?" She continued.

_"Because I want something to eat, too!"_ Was what he was _going_ to say, with as much exasperation as his personality would allow... but upon stepping into the courtroom, he stopped. Sitting at one of the dinning tables (that had long since been boughten back inside after Shikamaru's birthday party) was Shikamaru and Hinata. And around them was a small mob of people, listening to the two of them argue.

"What's happening..?" Sakura asked quietly, also shocking at what she was seeing.

The voices of the two people grew louder, and Chouji caught a couple of words with a flinch. "... I think Hinata might actually be getting upset..." _This is weird. Hinata never gets upset._

"She has been acting funny today," Sakura countered.

Chouji was about to reply with a joke about how _wasn't Hinata always acting funny?, _when a yell stopped him in his place. "Just tell us already, Shikamaru!" The yell had come from someone in the mob and, while not from Hinata, was rather unnerving.

"What's going on!" Sakura called across the room loudly, commanding attention and respect. Almost instantly she received in, and the mob because more of a group of civilized people. The pink haired girl stormed across the room towards them all, and cautiously Chouji followed her.

"I want to hear the story," Hinata told Sakura over the heads of the people; most of them were sitting on the floor surrounding the pair. "The story about the Princess." A murmur of agreement spread through the surrounding people, and Chouji frowned at them all. _All this over a story?_

"I don't see anything wrong with that," Chouji replied easily.

"But Lord Shikamaru won't tell us if it's true or not!" A girl in the group squealed... but another murmur of agreement - and this time of annoyance, as well - stopped Chouji from identifying the girl.

"It's just a story," Chouji shrugged. "It doesn't matter if it's true or not."

"But it suggests that-"

"That what?" Sakura interrupted the next claim.

Shikamaru huffed out a sigh in irritation, looking away from the group. "They're all annoyed because the story suggests that Sasuke isn't the rightful ruler. Though I don't know why they're upset about _that_..."

"Well he's not the rightful ruler." Chouji shrugged, stepping carefully around the sitting people to take a seat next to Shikamaru. Yet another murmur went through the group, this time of shock and confusion. Some people were whispering _treason! _while others were questioning Chouji's sanity. The cook just rolled his eyes, before turning to the group. "... you can't honestly tell me that you do not know the proper line of Royalty in your own country..? I'm amazed."

"Yeah," Shikamaru whispered beside him, so that only Chouji could hear. "Even _you_ know that, Chouji..."

Ignoring him, Chouji looked at the people sitting around him. "I'll tell you guys the story, but you must understand a few things first..." the people nodded enthusiastically. "Good." Glancing towards his friend he saw as Shikamaru shrugged, not caring about what was being said, and took some of the food that Chouji was still holding. "This country has always been run by a line of kings," Chouji explained.

"So Lord Sasuke is our King?" a girl sitting by his knee asked. _Listen to what I'm saying!_

"No," Chouji shook his head. "Lord Sasuke is a prince of this country... his older brother, Itachi, is the rightful king."


	27. The Princess' Story

**The Princess' Story  
**

Once upon a time, in a castle not-so-far away, lived a young prince who spent his days playing in the courtyard with his older brother, and his evenings with his parents in front of a fire. The 6 year old had never known poverty or strife, had always gotten whatever he wanted... and yet there were very few children his own age in the castle. The only other child little Prince Sasuke knew was Shikamaru. And Shikamaru didn't like playing with children their age.

While Shikamaru played chess with the many adults in the castle, Sasuke would stay outside and watch his brother learn how to fight with a sword and shield, or horseback ride, or any other such thing that allowed him to go out to war and protect their father's country. And once his brother was done, Sasuke would beg to be taught as well.

His brother, Itachi, would always laugh and say _`Maybe when your older Sasuke... you're too young to fight now'_, tapping the bridge of the Prince's nose just between his eyes as he did.

Today though, Itachi had left before Sasuke had even woken up; when asked, his parents just said that his brother had gone to visit another country, and that he should play with someone his own age... with that in mind, the young prince decided to try do something that he had never done before: Leave the castle. He left through the kitchens, a way he had seen Itachi sneak out with young maidens, and didn't encounter any guards.

Little Prince Sasuke's first glimpse of the his father's village was the bustling market. Every which way there were fruit stands and fish vendors and people selling baskets, silks, toys, bread, and anything else you could think of. He saw people of every height, colour, age, size... excitedly he noticed a group of kids his own age near a man selling apples, and walked over to them.

"Hi," he said happily, startling the children. All of them wore ratty clothes and had dirt on their hands and faces, but the one closest to him smiled.

"Hi, I haven't seen you before," the young child chirped. "Could you do me a favour?" Innocently, young Sasuke nodded, and the child's smile grew. "Could you take these," he grabbed two apples from a table, cautiously watching the man who was selling them; his back was turned. "We're all really busy helping my mom shop today..."

Sasuke blinked, looking between the apples in the child's hands and the man with his back turn before shrugging and taking the fruit. After all, he routinely took food from the kitchens when the cooks weren't looking, and no one got mad at him. "Where is your mom?"

The child pointed across the market place, and the young Prince stepped out into the crowd to get a better look... "HE'S STEALING THE APPLES!" Before he knew what was happening people around him were yelling and screaming, and the man at the apple stand was rushing towards him with a glare. Cursing, he grabbed Sasuke up off the ground harshly, bruising his arm as he snatched the apples back and threw him into the crowd.

The people pushed in on all sides as Sasuke tried to stand before his hands and arms could be stepped on too much; looking back, he saw that the children were all gone, darting through the peoples' legs and out of sight before he could open his mouth to ask 'why?' People were stepping on his feet so he tried to move out of the way, but whenever he moved against the flow of the crowd he ran into legs and knees and people yelled at him even more. Tears in his eyes, he resigned to being pushed in whatever direction the people wanted.

Eventually the crowd thinned, and the young prince was able to free himself from the myriad of feet. He walked aimlessly down one street and then another, each one emptier than the one before. After awhile he came to the village walls, a small gate facing East in front of him. As these weren't the main gates they were usually closed, the heavy oak doors weighing too much for a young child... but as chance would have it, several gypsies were coming through, hoping to make some coins entertaining the market.

Sasuke sneaked through, and for the first time saw green hills. Smiling in the afternoon sun the young Prince ran over the first hill, and then the second, third, fourth, until he could no longer see the village. With a laugh he fell to the ground, looking up at the clouds above him for a moment before he closed his eyes.

"Hello."

He sat up abruptly, his eyes snapping open. Sitting in front of him was a beautiful young girl, around his own age; she smiled at him and hesitantly he smiled back, remembering the children from before. "Hello," he responded, looking at the girl's dirty clothes, the scratches on her face, and the large pendant around her neck.

"Would you like to play?" She asked. Prince Sasuke looked around for a moment, but saw no one who could get angry at him. He looked at the girl again, and she looked back. Her smile was slowly disappearing, and her bright blue eyes were becoming nervous. "... no one likes to play with me."

That was that. "I'll play with you." And for the rest of the day they chased one another over the hills and played games like hide and seek. They were having so much fun that the Prince didn't realize that it was getting late until after the sun had set and torches could be seen in the distance.

"I have to go," Sasuke told her apologetically. "It'll be time for dinner soon, and Mother will be worried about me."

"You have a mother?" The girl asked.

Sasuke blinked at her nervously. Didn't all children have mothers? "Of course. Don't you?" She shook her head, her blond locks falling into her blue eyes. "Did you want to meet mine?" With a smile, she nodded. Taking her hand, Sasuke headed back towards the village. Part way there, the people with the torches found them; they had been sent to find the young prince and bring him back to the castle. No one asked about the girl with Prince Sasuke.

At the request of Prince Sasuke, and then of the Queen herself, the girl was allowed to stay in the castle with the Prince. Every day the two would spend in the courtyards, playing hide and seek or tag, and occasionally trying to pull a trick on Shikamaru. Every evening the two would sit in front of the fire with the King and Queen.

This continued for almost a year, and the two young children became closer than family. So much so that, when the Prince's brother finally returned, Sasuke did not rejoice and hurry to play with Itachi as he usually did; in fact, the young Prince didn't even notice as him and the girl had once again sneaked out of the village to play in the hills, and didn't hear the news of the Elder Prince's return.

When Itachi returned to find his brother wasn't home he grew concerned, placing blame on his parents for caring less about the child than their own devious plans. For their country, his father's country, was a land bought by bloodshed and powered by cruelty. In a strange way he was relieved, because for the first time he could do something to ensure that the peace his younger brother had always known would continue. He could ensure that Sasuke never knew the evils that surrounded him.

The first thing Itachi did when he returned from his absence was kill his mother and father, taking the title of King for himself. The second was to leave to find Prince Sasuke.

The girl though, was happier than she had ever been. She had been sent on a journey all by herself, to seek out the one thing in her life that would be hers forever. A sacred treasure. And running through the hills outside the Prince's village, her young mind couldn't help but think that she had found it. "Sasuke?" She asked when the two of them took a break to laugh and lounge in the grass.

"Yes?" The little prince asked, looking at her happily.

"Can I tell you a secret?" She didn't look at him, instead fingering the hem of her shirt.

"A secret?" He blinked at her as he frowned. The concept of the two of them having secrets from each other had never entered his thoughts, and he couldn't imagine why. "Since when do you have a secret?"

"I've... well..." She grew increasingly more nervous, not knowing how to tell him the only thing about herself that he didn't already know. "I've always had this one secret, Sasuke..." She risked looking up at him and misread the confusion on his face. "I'm sorry! But I just didn't know if I could tell you! I didn't mean to hide anything from you."

"That's okay," Sasuke said slowly, shrugging. "You're telling me now, and I'm sure that you had a good reason, right?" She nodded, and he smiled again. "Well then, what is it?"

"Well, I'm..." looking away again, she chewed on her lip. "First, you have to promise me something."

"Anything," he replied seriously. So seriously that it surprised both of them, and the two children looked at each other startled, their little hearts feeling but not comprehending a new emotion.

"You have to promise," she didn't look away from him this time, her bright blue eyes looking into his onyx orbs. "Promise to always be my friend."

"Best friends," Sasuke nodded, trying to get her to continue.

"Promise!"

"I promise! I promise!" He told her. "Sheesh... there's nothing that you could tell me that would cause us not to be friends!"

She frowned, but still didn't look away. Getting nervous again, she chewed on her lip and wrung her hands together, wishing that her voice would come to her as easily as it had earlier in the day. She fumbled with her necklace, pulling the chain off of her neck and holding the large pendant in between the two. "I'm magical."

Prince Sasuke was speechless as he watched her, not knowing how to respond to what she had said. She fumbled again with her pendant, twisting the top off like when his father twisted the tops off of bottles; as it released, a bright blue light flowed out of the new opening in the pendant, illuminating both of the faces of the children. "What do you mean?" He asked shallowly, looking up from the pendant in her hands to her face. An aura of the blue light surrounded her, and if he squinted he could almost make out a pair of unnatural ears perched on her head. "How are you magical?"

"I'm not a human, like you are." She explained softly. "I mean... I was born like one, I guess, and I age like one. In almost every way I am just a normal child, except that I'm not."

"You're not?" He gulped down a painful lump in his throat, feeling nervous even though he didn't know why. "But what's this?"

"This is an elixir." She held it up higher so that he could see it more clearly. "The elixir of the moon. Sensei gave it to me before I left to find my treasure."

"Your treasure?"

"Something precious," she explained. "Something that can last forever in this world. Every creature like me," she cringed at the word 'creature', but didn't look away. "We all have one."

He looked back at the pendant in her hands, watching as more and more of the light spilled out into the darkness. It flowed around her like a stream, though it was a quiet as a spring breeze. "And now," Prince Sasuke said slowly, looking back up into her blue eyes. "This means you've found your treasure?" She nodded, and he couldn't help but feel hurt. Did this mean she was going to leave to do some other part of her journey? "What happens next?"

"I drink the Elixir of the Moon," she motioned to the pendant. "There's enough for two sips; one that grants the Sight of Truth and the other that grants the Sight of Wisdom. And once I have traveled the world and seen all the wisdoms and witnessed all the truths, a new elixir will reveal itself."

"Like magic." Sasuke added childishly, causing her to smile at him beautifully.

"Like magic," she agreed. "The Elixir of the Sun grants Immortality."

"So you'll live forever?" She nodded, looking at him ever more intensely. He squirmed under her gaze, and finally looked away. "So, what is your treasure..?"

"It's you, silly!" And she laughed. The Little Prince Sasuke was shocked, but looked back up at her with a smile. "I treasure our friendship more than anything else in the entire world! And that's why..." it was her turn to look away in embarrassment. "That's why I want you to take a sip of the Elixir, too... I want to share everything with you, Sasuke."

He nodded, not sure how he felt exactly when she said that. But he was happy that, whatever he felt, he would get to be with his friend, forever. Taking the offered pendant from her hands, he raised it to his lips and took a sip. She looked back up at him, her blue eyes watching as more of the light spilled out of the pendant only to swirl and curl and spike itself around Sasuke, like thunder in an angry wind.

He looked at the light surrounding him, frightened when he noticed the difference in the light surrounding him when compared to hers. It was darker, more foreboding. "Don't worry," she calmed him. "No human has ever drunken the Elixir of the Moon... but I'm sure that it's the same. Sensei told me that the light reflects who you are; you'll rarely ever see it again, but it will grow and mature with you. " He settled down, and watched as she took the pendant back, but before she could take a sip, a yell distracted them.

"Sasuke!" It was Shikamaru. He ran towards the two children, appearing not to notice the strange light that surrounded the friends.

"What's wrong Shikamaru?" Sasuke asked, knowing that something was wrong.

"It's... Itachi..." Shikamaru panted out, dropping onto his knees beside the two children as he tried to get his air back. "He... He killed the King and Queen..."

"What?" The night seemed to suffocate him despite the light still surrounding his form. Somewhere, deep down in his heart, Sasuke felt the first stirrings of the new power within him. He knew, without a doubt, that Shikamaru was telling the truth. He just didn't want to admit it. "No... he didn't!"

"I saw it, Sasuke," Shikamaru told the Prince. But before he could explain why, Sasuke left. The little prince ran towards the castle to confront his brother, the light dissipating as he fled. The girl stood up to follow, but Shikamaru stopped her.

Shikamaru had always been smarter and more mature than the children around him. Often times he understood just as well, if not better, the concepts and topics the adults around him spoke of; he knew, unlike the young prince did, what sort of evil world they lived in. He understood Itachi when he had blamed his parents, and he had understood why the man had killed the king and queen, even if he couldn't understand how anyone could sink low enough to murder his parents. The smart boy could only assume that his love for his brother was greater than his love for his parents, for anything. He could only assume that Itachi would risk anything to ensure that Sasuke would end up safe.

And, knowing what was before him, he could only assume that a being of such great power as the young girl who had fallen into the young prince's life almost a year ago, would be something that Itachi would deem as unsafe.

No one knows exactly what Shikamaru said to the girl, but it was thought to be something like this.

"I know what you are," Shikamaru told her, standing up and stepping in her way. "I read about you, and my father told me stories about your kind... you're something that people will fight over. You're something that wars are made over."

"No," she shook her head, looking past Shikamaru. "Let me go with him, Shikamaru."

"Itachi killed his parents to keep him safe!" Shikamaru insisted. "He'll learn that, soon enough. Itachi killed his parents out of love for Sasuke, so that he wouldn't be plagued with the wars that the King and Queen fight and so that he wouldn't have to witness the darkness in this world. He killed his parents so that he could change these lands before Sasuke had to witness how evil they are." She looked away, standing still as tears built up in her eyes. "What do you think he'll do when he finds out about you? When he finds out about what you've given him? If he acknowledges that you've just made Sasuke _unable_ to be ignorant of the evils of this world, he'll hunt you down for revenge! And if he doesn't, he'll surely find out how _valuable_ you would be to anyone. He'll figure out that other countries would wage war to get you! To get what you could give to them!"

"What could I give to them?" She snapped at the boy.

"For someone magical you don't think things through very much!" Shikamaru snapped back. "Immortality!" She blinked, looking at the pendant in her hands as her tears streaked down her cheeks. "I read the legends, I heard the stories. Once you've 'seen all the wisdoms' and 'witnessed all the truths', you get a drink that turns you immortal!"

"The Elixir of the Sun..." she muttered, her shoulders drooping and her eyes growing dull. "Oh... what have I done?" She held her pendant up in front of her. "He... I let him drink from it. I just wanted to share it with him." Shikamaru stood in front of her and quieted at her tears, his mind running a million miles a minute as he tried to think. "But..." she looked up at the boy desperately. "But what about my treasure?"

"What treasure?" He asked, his mind still reeling.

She blushed, instinctively not wanting to tell him. It was _her_ treasure, and she wouldn't share. Shaking the thought out of her young mind, she looked back at him. "Mine and Sasuke's friendship."

"You'll always have your friendship, no matter where you are," Shikamaru dismissed easily. Something clicked in his mind, and he smiled at her reassuringly. "Drink the rest of the Elixir, and then you have to do something very difficult to keep from Itachi finding you to kill you, too... okay?" She nodded, and quickly gulped down the rest of the Elixir. "Good... now I know you'll see the wisdom in this..."

And he whispered words to the girl that were lost in the sounds of the wind. She nodded once he was done, tears dripping from her face and staining the grass. Then Shikamaru stepped back and watched as she glowed ever brighter... and then, like a flickering candle the light died and the girl was gone. Shikamaru stood there for a long time before he returned to the castle to tell the Prince what had happened.

The rest of the night was filled with the Young Prince's screams of sorrow, and King Itachi left again. Despite what Shikamaru had thought, the new King left to seek his revenge on the girl. The young Shikamaru only hoped that with the knowledge that she was alive, Prince Sasuke could be happy. And the country, torn by the sudden change, was cast into confusion that a much-too-young generation had to make sense of.

And every evening since, Prince Sasuke would sit in front of the fire and remember the past.


	28. Words Worth Nothing and Everything

_Please understand the referances._

**Words Worth Nothing and Everything  
**

"It's so romantic!" One of the courtier's cooed somewhere near his knee, but Shikamaru ignored her. Instead he stared at Chouji with blank eyes, as the chef turned to look back at him sheepishly. It was as if he was saying _'sorry, I couldn't help myself!'_, and it made Shikamaru's eyes roll.

"It's ridiculous," he snapped out easily, quieting down the chatter of the courtiers around them. He looked away from Chouji, only to catch Hinata's eyes... the Priestess still looked loopy, as if she had been drugged. But she was smiling like a woman in love. And that usually that meant that she was up to something.

"Ne... why would it be ridiculous, Shikamaru-dono?" the pale-eyed girl sang, her words more coherent than they had been.

"I just don't see why every girl who hears that story goes weak in the knees because it's _romantic_," he explained sourly, a frown marring his lips. _As if those two could've ever been romantic... they were only 7! _"Especially when they _then_ turn around and and gawk over Sasuke and want to be with him... the two ideas are mutually exclusive."

"The story is romantic, idiot," Sakura's voice sounded from the other side of Hinata. "But seeing as no one knows if it's true or not, there's no reason to get upset about some fictional girl who hasn't been seen in god knows-"

"The story is nonsense," Shikamaru interrupted. A groan of voices followed, and the courtiers muttered to each other about how he was constantly being elusive over the story. _Honestly... if you had seen how often the two of them fought one another... the fact that they call one another 'friend' is a complete mystery to me._

"But is it true?"

It was Hinata who spoke. Her crystal clear voice rung high above everyone else's, stunning the room into an awed silence. Shikamaru turned to look at the priestess sitting beside him, a soft smile gracing her lips: he narrowed his eyes at her. "The past is the past, Hinata."

Her smile grew, causing her eyes to shimmer in her happiness. _What are you up to, Hinata? _"So it is, Shikamaru-dono... so it is." Standing up gracefully she moved through the group of courtiers, who parted around her easily to let the priestess pass. Shikamaru watched her go, her dress swaying with her movements as she made her way across the room, still speaking to him from over her shoulder. "I don't think that I'm going to be at dinner tonight, Shikamaru-dono... preparations and what not."

* * *

Shino stood in the shadows of the Hinata's tower, waiting patiently. It was something he could do all day if needed, but he knew that his pale-eyed priestess would return to him when she was ready.

_Hinata, _he thought to himself, exhaling slowly. He made sure to deplete his lungs entirely of air before inhaling, and shut his eyes to his thoughts. _Why do you plague me so?_ Leaning back against the stairs, Shino pushed the hood off of his head to reveal his dark hair to the darkened stairwell; even though it was still early in the afternoon, the tower was riddled with shadows. It's window-less structure seemed to curse the light as if it were a demon sent from hell to harm his priestess.

_My Priestess? _He questioned himself with a laugh, the sound echoing in the silence. _Since when have I been so possessive?_ But he knew the answer to that question. He had grown possessive of Hinata before he had even met her.

Shino was born and raised in a little village on the very outskirts of the country, between a forest of song birds and a meadow of butterflies. As a child he spent his time alone, finding creatures and insects to bring home to show to his grandmother, the only person in his young life who cared and raised for him. Every time he brought something home she would smile and examine it, and teach him about whatever little thing he had found. It was one day, when he was still too much a child to tell the times of the year, that he stumbled into his grandmothers arms with a delicate creature cupped in his hands.

The day was eternally etched into his memory.

Careful, she had told him. Her wrinkled face smiled at him, her body encased in long folds of fabric as she hugged him close. Butterflies were delicate, she explained to him, coaxing her grandson into freeing the creature from his hands. He had, though reluctantly. And that made her smile even brighter.

And then she told him a story. A story that a fortune teller had told her years ago when she had been a young woman in love, about the common things between every child she would raise. All of them would be poor, all of them would be guarded, and all of them would be alone until they met the person who called them. As a young woman his grandmother had thought the words sad and troublesome, but with the wisdom of the years behind her she remembered the story more fondly.

His father had been like that, she told him. His father had been poor, barely making two coins to rub together in the time it would take a commoner to make a week's worth in meals. And his father had been guarded, his view of the world jaded with how he had been treated all his life. And his father had been alone... until, of course, he met Shino's mother.

_I never thought grandmother was serious,_ he mused, opening his hazy green eyes to look at the cold stones of the tower walls. But he couldn't help but remember his childhood, living in a poor and desolate village. Or how his heart had become guarded against friends and family, even his beloved grandmother. Or how he had always been alone...

Until he met Hinata.

He came to the village on a whim, having left his home when his grandmother died just months prior. Wondering through the grassy hills, not knowing where he was or where he was going, he had seen a butterfly. Remembering that day, so long ago it seemed, when his grandmother had told him about butterflies and a calling love... following the creature's wings with his eyes, he was lead towards the village. But before he even entered the gates, he saw the thing that would change his life forever. _She was so beautiful that day._

She had been waiting, sitting outside the gates and looking at him expectantly; Neji had stood behind her with a scowl, annoyed at having to dally about with his younger cousin. But she hadn't cared.

A whisper sounded in the back of his mind, like a trace of wind in one's dreams. He stood up gracefully, eyes turned towards the stairwell entrance. And not a moment later did she walk through, as if she had been poised outside waiting for his thoughts to come to that exact moment in their past.

"Shino," Hinata mumbled, sleep lacing her voice even though he knew she was wide awake.

"Hinata," he called out to her, thinking about that day.

She smiled, as if knowing. "Were you waiting for me..?"

_You say that, _Shino exhaled slowly, completely depleting his lungs of air before he inhaled again. _Just as I had asked you a year ago, when we first met. _"No," he parodied. "You were waiting for me."

Hinata closed her eyes, her smile becoming that much sweeter as tears brimmed her eyes. Stepping forwards, he wrapped his arms around her. _Why must either of us wait any longer? _"I'm still waiting, Shino-kun..." she folded herself against his chest. "Waiting for everything. But it will all come crashing to an end so very, very soon..."

His heart beat next to her's, wings fluttering in his stomach as he looked down at her blushing face. _Yes... crashing to an end. _The air he worked so hard to push in and out of his lungs slowly hitched in his throat, his mind drifting to not-so-innocent places. Reluctantly, he moved away from her touch. _But we are still waiting now, making these actions that I crave to do inappropriate to push onto her._

"There's never enough time anymore," Hinata muttered, seemingly unaffected by their intimate moment. She drifted past him easily, climbing the stairs to her tower. "There used to be more time than I knew what to do with..."

He followed her, taking slow and easy steps behind her ones. _Just call for me, Hinata, and I will give you all the time in the world._


	29. Red Thread

_... I know an apology is necessary, but unfortunately I don't have one. The muse was lost, ran far, far away. Hopefully she'll stay this time. _

**Red Thread**

A hand shook her out of her dream scape, but her stubborn mind still clung to the remnants of her imagination. For a moment the world was silken grasses and soft flowing clouds, and tall prince with dark hair leaning towards her as if to give her a kiss. _True loves kiss? Have I slept that long..? _And then the veil of fog lifted from her eyes, forcing her to feel the fur against her skin and the curtains drawn about the bed, and to recognize Shino still trying to wake her.

Ino's first (cognitive) reaction was to frown, peering over at the window. "It's still light out... did something happen?"

"Hinata-sama needs you awake," Shino told her softly, pulling himself upright and taking a step away from the bed.

"Why..?" Ino asked, a little grouchy for not being allowed her full day's sleep. She sat up though, pulling Shikamaru's cloak tighter around her figure.

Shino merely shrugged. "She's sitting on the staircase." And then he left, presumably to stay by Hinata's side.

The blond sighed, looking at her surroundings. _If it's still daylight out, _she thought to herself, slowly getting up out of the bed. _Then it must still be relatively early. The nights are so long right now... _She made her way to the windowsill and stared outside in shock - there had been a light snowfall, as was becoming common of the night-time hours, but previously they had all melted in the first hours of morning. Now the ground was white, unhindered by the sun's rays. _And it's still getting colder._

Not having time to gawk at the weather Ino turned to find herself a clean set of clothes. Humming to distract herself from the chilly air, she shed off all her layers and put on a warmer chemise, pulling the newest dress that she had sewn over top of it. It was plain silver, with little box pleats at the back to give the skirts more volume; Her father would've been proud. Once redressed, she pulled Shikamaru's cloak back over her shoulder and made her way to the stairway. It was no use trying to be quiet - the hinges were squeaky, giving away her intrusion. And by the time the door was open Hinata and Shino were both staring up at her, the Priestess with a large smile on her face.

"You look like a storm of snowflakes," Hinata sang out, bursting into giggles once she had done. "So pretty and graceful to look at, but so dangerous as well... or maybe I'm just biased?"

"What are you talking about?" Ino blinked, her frown returning. This caused Hinata to laugh harder, and the blond looked towards Shino for help. "Is she drunk?"

"No," Shino shook his head, though there was a slight sigh in his voice. _Good. He's as confused as I am. _

Pushing the priestess' strange actions out of her mind, Ino straightened her back and looked at Hinata. "What did you need from me today, Hinata-sama?"

"Need?" Hinata sobered slowly, looking down the stairs as she continued to mumble to herself. "So many things that still need to be done... will there be enough time now..? Surely there must be. There has to be. Too many things have gone right for it not to happen... then again, it might not..."

"Hinata-sama?" Shino touched the dark-haired girl's shoulder, bringing her attention back to the conversation at hand. Ino couldn't help but notice the far-away look in the girl's eyes. _What is she seeing? This is part of her prophetic abilities, right? _

"Soon, Shino, soon," she smiled brilliantly up at the boy, and Ino felt herself blush at the intensity of the emotions she felt between the two. _I mean... I know they have feelings for each other. A blind person would notice. But wow. _Then the prophet looked up at Ino, her pearl eyes seeming to clear for the moment. "Ino-chan! I need you to prepare two rooms in the castle - joined, of course. Preferably with a fireplace. And if you could manage somewhere close to the courtyards, that would be convenient... though I've a feeling the rooms next to Lord Sasuke's are the only two that will be free next to each other."

Now Ino was confused. "Why do you need rooms in the main castle?"

"Just in case," Hinata told her even as her eyes were glazing over again, the lucid moment lost. "Never know what will happen in winter... you're so pretty right now, Ino-chan."

Ino pursed her lips, but didn't respond. Instead she stepped past the girl, giving Shino a speculative look. But regardless of the capricious decision, or the confusing reasoning behind it, the blond couldn't help but feel excited. Soon she'd be in the real world again, and be able talk to people other than the sometimes-loopy Hinata and the quiet Shino.

* * *

The blonde girl was barely out of sight when Hinata stood and grabbed Shino's wrist - immediately she dropped it again, her hands feeling scorched. Looking at her own hand, the priestess watched as tiny sparks of lightening danced across her fingertips.

"Are you okay Hinata-sama?" Shino's voice felt warm on her ears, and she looked up at him again. He was so clear in the haze of the world, so distinct between the billowing snowflakes still twirling around the stairwell.

Taking a deep breath she opened her lips, ready to tell him exactly what she was seeing. To explain how he was so perfect right now. To somehow relate how important this was. "I'm fine, Shino-kun," she whispered instead. But the nervous energy was still there, fluttering about her entire being like dozens of hummingbirds with honeysuckle.

She escaped into her room, finding that the snowflakes were still there. They piled in the corners and blew out into the stairwell behind her, watering down the heavy air of the tower until it felt more like a crisp autumn morning. "So much snow, so much snow... is it because Ino has such a presence here..?"

"What snow?" Shino's voice was so very close, his breathe ghosting over her ear and sending shivers down her spine... yet when she turned to look at him he was still in the doorway, and somehow she was in the middle of the room. _What is time and space anyways?_

"I forget sometimes that you can't see like I see," Hinata sighed, feeling her mind loose the mystic filter she had been wearing all day. The room was slowly coming back into focus, the snowdrifts disappearing and the temperature rising. She noticed there were goosebumps on her arms and frowned_. How cold is it? _Then she shook her head and let herself not-think, and the fog fell back over her eyes.

That's when the last pieces started to appear before her.

* * *

Shino took another step into the room, watching as the priestess drifted back off to that other-world. She started moving, first going here and then going there, checking objects and articles of clothes. Whatever logic she was using on her search lead her to start a pile in the middle of the room - it started small. A couple of clothes, her aromatic oils, a book or two... Without realizing it Shino was turning around the room with her, and now they were both facing the doorway.

Hinata paused, and he wondered if she was having another lucid moment. Then she slammed the door shut. And locked it.

"What's wrong?" He could hear the concern in his own voice, a quiver above normal.

"Everything's right," but she sounded elated.

Shino tried to let that make him feel better. But it explained nothing. _Lets start from the beginning. _"What is Ino preparing for?"

"I'm preparing," Hinata pouted. He smiled at her childish reaction, waiting for her to continue. "Ino is important, nothing can happen without her. But she's a do-er. I'm the one preparing everything to be done."

"Well then," Shino continued, happy to be getting straighter answers. He wasn't sure how long it would last. "What are you preparing for then, Hinata-sama?"

"I don't like that," she tilted her head to the side cutely and took a step towards him.

Suddenly, he felt nervous. "Like what, Hinata-sama?"

"Just Hinata," she sounded breathless. It made him blush to think of the reasons why she might.

"What are you preparing for, Hinata?" She took another step towards him, reaching up to push his hood back onto his shoulders.

"Everything," she hummed. "A better here, a better now. There's just _one thing_ I'm missing to make it all happen... after that, it'll be so easy. I just have to make sure no one steps off their path."

He ignored most of it, knowing that there were too many ways to interpret 'their path' and what exactly would constitute a 'step'. Let alone enough 'steps' to take someone off of said 'path'. But something there did catch his attention. "What are you missing, Hinata?"

She smiled. "Do you know what the red thread of fate is, Shino?" He shook his head, letting her continue. "It's a thread that ties two people together, no matter where they are in the world... it's who you are 'meant' to be with. No matter what." She hummed again, lifting a dainty hand up to his cheek. "I tend not to look for them. People are naturally drawn together, after all. No need to meddle more than needed..."

"Hinata," he muttered to try to get her back on topic, but couldn't help leaning into her palm. _Why is she doing this now..? _"How is this something you are missing..?"

"I'm not." She laughed, the sound a beautiful note to his ears, and took that last step to lean into his chest. Shino tensed for a moment, before letting himself wrap his arms around her thin waist and breathe in the light scent of her hair. "I don't need to be able to See to know who I'm Tied to."

He felt like he was drowning, enveloped in sensations and thoughts and feelings. Completely incapable of stopping himself plunging deeper. "Hinata..."

"So what I'm _missing _then." She pulled away from him ever so lightly, looking up into his eyes - and he knew she was still in that other-world, still not quite here and not quite there. But she was always like that. And he loved her. "Is an invitation."

... but he really wasn't expecting that.

"An invitation?" he gawked at her for a moment, fighting the urge to yell. "Honestly? You need me to-"

"Not from you!" She laughed again, hysterically this time, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to keep herself upright. After a long while she regained her composure and was able to look up at him again, still grinning wickedly. "From home. I need to go back home."

"And how, exactly, are you going to do that?" He asked dryly, feeling embarrassed.

"By forsaking my religion, and casting aside my priesthood." Her wicked grin softened to a smile, and Shino felt his heart skip. He needn't ask how, exactly, she was going to do that. He simply allowed her to pull him down into a kiss, very glad that she had the foresight to lock the door.


	30. Kitchens Abuzz

_To fellow Twitter users - I'm tweeting updates to the story, may tweet spoilers/ideas if I get followers who want them._

**Kitchens Abuzz**

Preparing two adjoined rooms with a fireplace was the very last thing on Ino's mind. Instead she hurried down the castle corridors, making a left here and a right there, hoping her memory served her correctly and that she would be able to find the kitchens with relative ease. _But I haven't been in the castle since... almost since my birthday! And it's winter now! _Besides, she wouldn't even know where to start looking for two such rooms.

Her first dead end was met with a frustrated laugh, but she wouldn't let her spirits down. "Should have made a right back at that suit of armour," she hummed aloud to herself, promptly turning around and retracing her steps.

The second dead end was a bit more irritating, but she tried not to let herself be discouraged. Only this time when she turned to retrace her steps she couldn't find the corner she had made the wrong turn at. So she stopped for a moment, closed her eyes and listened, pretending for a moment she was like Hinata simply _knew_ what way to go... and in the distance she heard the faint sounds of conversation.

"Left!" She cheered to herself, just about skipping along her way.

... at the third dead end, she screamed out loud and nearly tore her hair out. _So much for knowing what way to go! _Pacing the hallway, she kept sulking and muttering to herself. _Should have asked Shino the directions before leaving. But those two look more and more crazy in love every time I see them, and they aren't even allowed to be together, and- _

"Ino?" A voice called, breaking her out of her train of thoughts.

* * *

She whirled around to find who had called her name, and couldn't stop the huge grin that had blossomed on her face. "Kiba?" The brunette boy stood in the middle of an intersection of hallways, giving the blond the wary look one would give a lunatic on the street, but he was smiling as well. _What is she doing down here? _And then suddenly she was running at him and the young hunter braced himself for impact. "Kiba!"

"Yes, that's me," he laughed as he caught her. He twirled the blond in the air, mentally rejoicing when he heard his friend laugh as well. After a few moments he set her back down, but he didn't let her go. _It has been a long time, Ino. _His arms tightened around her waist when she tried to wiggle away, and he leaned down to breathe in the scent of her hair. "We've all been worried about you..."

"Why were you worried?" She giggled, pushing against his chest to put distance between them - this time he let her. "Not much harm can happen to someone locked up in a tower. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's where all the Princesses in all the stories were put to stay 'safe'."

"So you were getting the royal treatment?" Kiba nodded at her logic, then shook his head at her antics. She was practically buzzing, bouncing up on the balls of her feet. "Unfortunately," he said slowly, watching as she instantly deflated, the shadow of a pout on her lips. "I have to go down to the kitchens." He pointed at his forgotten pack of meat, laying beside them on the ground.

"Perfect!" Her smile was back, all but bedazzling him. "That's exactly where I was going!"

_She was lost? _He thought, trying desperately not to chuckle. "So that's what you were screaming about?"

"Be quiet," she huffed and crossed her arms, causing his laughter to escape him. "What? It's been awhile since I first went up into the tower!"

Kiba sobered up at her words, a frown marring his brow. _You have no idea how long it felt to the rest of us. _"Yeah, I guess," he said instead, scratching the batch of his neck sheepishly. "You must've collected a bunch of dust between your ears."

"Kiba!" Ino shouted as she smacked his arm, but she was smiling.

"Hey! Be nice!" He shouted back at her. "If you keep that up I won't show you how to get down to the kitchens!"

Her change in attitude was like light and day. Suddenly she was all sweetness and smiles, clasping her hands together behind her back as she looked up at him. "You wouldn't do that... would you?"

"Of course not," Kiba sighed, any ill will dissolving at her expression. "But hurry up... my Father wants me back in time to help make dinner."

* * *

The kitchens were buzzing with chatter, causing the workers to move slowly from one task to another. It didn't matter how many times Chouji turned to glare at them or how many reprimands he barked out, all anyone wanted to do to was talk about the story of the Princess. _I regret saying anything now! _But there was no use crying over spilt milk, and Chouji wouldn't let his lazy cooks get the better of him. He simply increased their workload, tenfold.

"No complaining!" Chouji grinned at their whines, chuckling to themselves. _They should know better. _"And if you don't quiet down, I'll send the dishwashers out early and you'll have to clean everything yourselves!"

The talking slowed to a stop, the air filling with the sounds of chopping knives and boiling pots. Chouji let out a happy sigh, turning back to the batter he was mixing on the main table... then he did a double take, and nearly pinched himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming.

Ino was sitting at the table, smiling at him.

"Ino!" He roared out with a laugh, moving to her side to give her a hug. "What are you doing down here?"

"I'm not sure, really," she laughed with him and returned the embrace. "But I'm back."


End file.
